BIOL1007 > Microbes > Flashcards

Microbes Flashcards

(88 cards)

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1
Q

T/F: bacteria can make their own food

A

true, but not all of them

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2
Q

T/F: bacteria are primary producers and decomposers

A

Primary producers and decomposers

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3
Q

T/F: Protists are prokaryotic

A

false

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4
Q

T/F: protists are heterotrophic

A

false – some can perform photosynthesis

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5
Q

T/F: Algae can be Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic

A

true

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6
Q

T/F: algae can perform photosynthesis

A

true

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7
Q

First person to use the word “cell”

A

Robert Hooke

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8
Q

‘father of microbiology’

A

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
First evidence of bacteria and protists; Microbes everywhere

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9
Q

Louis Pasteur contributions to microbiology

A

Vaccination
Fermentation
Pasteurisation

Disproved spontaneous generation

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10
Q

Spontaneous Generation theory

A

“A life force” in all matter causes spontaneous generation

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11
Q

Spontaneous Generation theory was disproved with what experiment?

A

sealed or swan-necked flask did not grow microbes but open flasks did

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12
Q

Robert Koch microbiology contributions

A

Staining methods for microscopy

Use of solid growth media (agar)
Can isolate colonies
Previously grown in broth
Used these methods to identify bacteria causing:
Tuberculosis
Cholera
Anthrax

Germ Theory of Disease

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13
Q

Germ Theory of Disease

A

Microbes are the causative agents of disease

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14
Q

Germ Theory of Disease was preceded by?

A

miasma theory

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15
Q

Koch’s postulates

A

An organism that causes a disease must :
1. Be found in all cases of the disease
2. Be isolated from the diseased host in pure culture
* Not all microbes, but vast majority
3. Produce same disease in experimentally-infected host
4. Be re-isolated from the experimentally-infected host

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16
Q

Penicillin kills?

A

Staphylococcus

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17
Q

Microbiota Benefits

A

Primes immune system
* Better protection

Nutritional benefits
* Starch > glucose
* Synthesise vitamins

Compete with pathogens

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18
Q

Microbiota drawbacks

A

Disease
Wrong location
Eg. Staphylococcus: Skin → open wound
Conditions change
Eg. Streptococcus create acids from sugars → tooth decay

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19
Q

T/F: obligate pathogens always cause disease

A

true

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20
Q

how do microbes enhance food production?

A

maintain soil health

enable animals to digest cellulose

promote plant growth via mutualism

fermentation

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21
Q

Microbes maintain soil health by:

A

Fixing nitrogen (N2 → NH4+)
Breaking down organic wastes into inorganic nutrients
Suppressing animal + plant pathogens
Breaking down toxins e.g. pesticides

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22
Q

Cellulose

A

a sugar polymer, abundant in plants, carbon-rich, but difficult to digest

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23
Q

what produces cellulase?

A

rumen microbes

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24
Q

function of cellulase as produced by rumen microbes

A

helps break down cellulose → sugars → organic acids, CO2 , CH4

Organic acids and microbial cells are then digested by animal as nutrients

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25
Mycorrhizal fungi function in promoting plant growth
Mycorrhizal fungi (in most plants) enhance water + inorganic nutrient uptake, receive sugars from plant
26
Rhizobium bacteria function in promoting plant growth
Rhizobium bacteria (in legume roots) fix nitrogen, receive sugars in return
27
Fermentation has 2 meanings:
Microbial transformation of foods by fungi or bacteria Anaerobic metabolism of sugars → alcohols, acids, CO2
28
food spoilage is due to?
growth of fungi or bacteria, and/or enzymes that these microbes make and secrete
29
prevention methods for food spoilage
Refrigeration Preservatives Fermentation
30
food poisoning arises from?
infection or intoxication
31
Food-borne infection involves?
microbes grow in gut
32
example of food-borne infection
Salmonella enterica
33
Food-borne intoxication involves?
microbes make toxins in food
34
Food-borne intoxication example
Clostridium botulinum secretes botulinum toxin in anaerobic conditions
35
risk factors of food poisoning
Origins of food determines types and numbers of microbes Storage and Preparation (refrigeration, raw/cooked) Human factors – hygiene
36
food spoilage vs poisoning
Different sets of microbes are responsible for spoilage vs. poisoning
37
T/F: Poisoning can occur from spoiled food OR fresh food
true (eg. salmonella from chicken)
38
Plant pathogens are mostly which organisms?
fungi and viruses
39
plant pathogen example
Eg. Sigatoka fungi threaten the survival of bananas globally
40
Sigatoka fungi threaten the survival of bananas globally. Why?
Modern Cavendish bananas are all grown from cuttings, not seeds so they are genetically identical and thus ALL equally susceptible Need to apply fungicides 50x per year, and fungus is rapidly evolving resistance
41
Animal pathogen example
Eg. Foot-and-Mouth-Disease (FMD) Infects cows, pigs, sheep, goat, but NOT humans Cause of UK outbreak: pigs fed waste products incl. meat illegally imported from infected animals Poses many ethical and environmental issues in addition to economic problems
42
Zoonosis
human infection arising from animals
43
T/F: Human pathogen may be normal flora for the animal
true
44
example of human pathogen that is normal flora for the animal
Salmonella bacteria in chickens
45
types of zoonosis
Human pathogen may be normal flora for the animal Animal is a ‘vector’ for disease Microbe is pathogenic to both humans and animals
46
example of zoonosis where animal is a ‘vector’ for disease
animal ticks can carry Borrelia bacteria (Lyme disease)
47
example of zoonosis where microbe is pathogenic to both humans and animals
rabies virus pathogenic to both animals and humans
48
Maintaining a safe food supply depends on?
managing microbes at every stage in the production chain: soil, plants, animals, people, factory, kitchen
49
Human gut microbiome is primarily?
bacteria (40 trillion)
50
Human gut microbiome has more of which phyla of bacteria for high fibre diet
bacteriodetes
51
Human gut microbiome has more of which phyla of bacteria for high fat/protein diet
firmicutes
52
human gut microbiome is influenced by?
perinatal microbes and diet
53
human gut microbiome is important for?
Proper food digestion Resistance to pathogens Immune functioning Mental health
54
Bad gut microbiome linked to:
Allergies Type 2 diabetes Cancer Obesity
55
T/F: Most microbes cannot be isolated or cultured
true
56
define Biogeochemistry
where biology, chemistry & geology meet i.e. Biological processes that impact chemistry at global scale
57
most biological processes that impact chemistry at global scale are done by?
microbes
58
carbon cycle autotrophs
algae methanogens
59
algae uses?
CO2 as carbon source May use light as energy source (photoautotrophs) or may use chemical energy sources (chemoautotrophs)
60
photoautotrophs use?
light as energy source
61
chemoautotrophs use?
chemical energy sources
62
autotrophs convert?
inorganic C to organic C, act as “SINKS” for CO2
63
Autotrophs convert inorganic C to organic C, acting as? what is the impact of this on the environment?
“SINKS” for CO2 → act to limit climate change
64
algae perform what % of global photosynthesis?
50%
65
Methanogens consume?
CO2 and H2
66
methanogens produce?
methane
67
methanogens are photoautotrophs or chemoautotrophs?
chemoautotrophs
68
T/F: methanogens are aerobic
false they are killed by oxygen
69
methanogens breathe in CO2 and exhale CH4. This limits methanogens to what environments?
oxygen-free habitats (deep sediments, soil micro-niches, animal gut)
70
Methanogens are part of what domain?
archaea
71
methanogens are good or bad for climate change?
Overall bad impact on climate change: act as sinks for CO2 (good), but act as sources of CH4 (very bad!)
72
Methanotrophs consume?
methane
73
methanotrophs produce?
CO2
74
methane acts as what for methanotrophs?
both their carbon source and energy source
75
methanotrophs impact on climate change
Overall positive impact on climate change: act as sinks for CH4 (very good!), but act as sources of CO2 (bad)
76
carbon cycle heterotrophs
methanotrophs decomposers predators pollutant degraders
77
decomposers effect on climate change
Sources of CO2 → bad for climate change
78
decomposers recyclce dead cells back into?
CO2
79
Protists (protozoa type) such as ciliates, flagellates & amoebae are often?
predators of other microbes
80
T/F: Not all protists are predators
true some are ‘detritivores’ (scavengers), and some are photosynthetic
81
types of protists
predators ‘detritivores’ (scavengers) photosynthetic
82
Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria (including methanotrophs) are very useful for?
Bioremediation: the cleanup of pollution by microbes
83
Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria are heterotrophs that specialise in ?
eating ancient fossilised organic carbon
84
Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria vs other decomposers
These are similar to other decomposers, except that they contain special enzymes which can attack hydrocarbons
85
describe coral symbiosis with algae
Algae: photoautotrophs, convert CO2 + light → sugars Coral: heterotrophs, convert sugars → CO2 Carbon cycles between organic and inorganic forms, biomass is produced, and both partners ‘win’
86
what is lichen?
a symbiosis between two microbes: a heterotrophic fungus and an autotrophic algae
87
T/F: Lichens are primary producers in some terrestrial habitats, especially in dry environments
true
88
T/F: lichen are photosynthetic
true
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