Chapter 4 -- Bacterial Taxonomy

Question 1

Bergey’s Manual of DETERMINATIVE Bacteriology

Answer 1

• Five volumes, covering ALL known prokaryotes
• based on PHENOTYPIC characteristics
• volumes determined by CELL WALL composition
• for MEDICAL USE, by doctors
  
  • restricted to bacterial disease agents

Question 2

Bergey’s Manual of SYSTEMIC Bacteriology

Answer 2

• five volumes
• based on GENOTYPE (rRNA) characteristics
• phylogenetic system (evolutionary relationships)

of note: 2nd edition – based on rRNA sequencing ONLY, so classified together b/c they have similar sequencing

Question 3

Domain Archaea

Answer 3

“odd bacteria” – primitive, adapted to extreme habitats and modes of nutrition
– more closely r/t eukarya to to bacteria, contain unique genetic sequencing in their rRNA

Question 4

Domain Bacteria

Answer 4

“normal bacteria”

• phylum proteobacteria (gram-negative cell walls - rickettsias, enterics, vibrios)
• phylum firmicutes (mainly gram-positive with low G+C content - bacillus, clostridium, staphylococcus, streptococcus)
• phylum actinobacteria (gram-postive with high G+C content - corynebacterium, mycobacterium, micrococcus, streptomyces)
• phylum chlamydiae (chlamydia, chlamydophila)
• phylum spirochaete (treponema, borrelia, leptospira)

Question 5

Halophiles

Answer 5

part of Domain Archaea – lovers of salt

Question 6

Acidophiles

Answer 6

part of Domain Archaea – lovers of acid

Question 7

Thermophiles

Answer 7

part of Domain Archaea – lovers of heat

Question 8

Rickettsias

Answer 8

• very tiny, gram negative bacteria
• rod shaped
• most are pathogens
• obligate intracellular pathogens (must be in a host cell)
• transmitted by arthropod vectors
• fever & rash
• Rickettsia rickettisii – spread by ticks - “Rocky Mountain spotted fever”
• Rickettsia prowazekii – spread by louse (lice) - “Epidemic Typhus”

Question 9

Chlamydias

Answer 9

-tiny
-coccoid
-obligate intracellular parasites
-not transmitted by arthropods, but by air or contact, including sexual
-2 species:
1. Chlamydia trachomatis – urogenital infections, trachoma (preventable blindness), conjunctivits, pneumonia
2. Chlamydophila pneumoniae & psittaci
I \
bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis I
(occurs more in college students) I
I
/
pneumonia, spread by parrots and parakeets

Question 10

Phenotype

Answer 10

usually observable things – these things are influenced by DNA & environment

Question 11

Genotype

Answer 11

determined by DNA

Question 12

Classification Criteria for Prokaryotes

Answer 12

Phenotypic: morphology, arrangement, staining, colony appearance, chemical reactions, serological analysis
Genotypic: genetic and molecular analysis