What are the three staining techniques introduced in the microbiology lab?
Capsule stain, endospore stain, flagella stain
What growth factors were reviewed from the previous lab?
Aerotolerance, osmotic pressure, temperature assays
What is the structure and function of the glycocalyx?
A secreted matrix of polysaccharides and polypeptides surrounding the cell
What differentiates a capsule from a slime layer?
Capsule is highly organized and tightly bound; slime layer is loosely organized and thinner
What is an endospore?
A dormant, highly resistant structure formed by certain bacteria to survive harsh conditions
What is sporulation?
The process of forming an endospore
What is the process by which an endospore returns to a vegetative state?
Germination
Define virulence factor.
A characteristic or structure that contributes to the pathogenicity of an organism
What is opsonization?
The process by which immune cells mark a microbe for phagocytosis
What is a biofilm?
A community of microorganisms attached to a surface, enclosed in a matrix
What are the types of bacterial motility based on flagella arrangement?
- Atrichous
- Monotrichous
- Lophotrichous
- Amphitrichous
- Peritrichous
What is a mordant in the context of flagella staining?
A substance used to coat flagella to make them appear thicker for visualization
What does turbidity indicate?
Cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles
What instrument measures the amount of light that passes through a sample?
Spectrophotometer
What is an obligate aerobe?
An organism that requires oxygen for growth
What is an obligate anaerobe?
An organism that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen
What is a facultative anaerobe?
An organism that can grow with or without oxygen
What is a halophile?
An organism that thrives in high salt concentrations
What is the significance of the capsule stain?
Used to identify encapsulated bacteria, which are often more virulent
What is the purpose of the endospore stain?
Used to identify spore-forming bacteria, important in clinical settings
Why is the flagella stain important?
Determines the presence and arrangement of flagella, related to motility and virulence
Why are endospores problematic in clinical settings?
They are highly resistant to standard disinfection methods
What does blanking the spectrophotometer do?
It tells the computer to ignore the absorbance of the broth and tube
Fill in the blank: The spore formation (sporulation) takes about ______ hours.
10-11
