Brief Overview of Microorganisms

List some of the vital functions of microorganisms.

Name the microorganism groups that are not eukaryotes or prokaryotes.

What are algae?

What is the general range of bacterial size?

What is the main attribute of a cell that viruses lack?

What does a virus consist of?

What determines the specificity of a virus' interaction with its host cell?

Which organisms do viruses infect?

How does a virus disturb cells it has infected?

How are prion proteins distinct from viruses?

List some detrimental effects of microorganisms.

What is a mass of branching, interlacing filaments known as?

What is a coenocyte and what properties does this involve?

What is a mycelial fungus more commonly known as?

What are the four groups that fungi are subdivided into?

Distinguish between a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative cell wall.

List some properties of fungi that are beneficial to other organisms, and those specific to humans.

What is an S-layer and what might its advantages be?

Differentiate between the capsule and the glycocalyx.

Give two reasons that microorganisms are the most prevalent living matter on earth.

Give an example of a Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterium.

What are the two most common shapes of bacteria?

Where is the largest human commensal microbe population found?

List some shapes of bacteria, other than bacillus and coccus.

Although bacterial movement may appear random, what is usually the cause of their movements?

Despite not being membrane bound, prokaryotic DNA tends to exist in a particular area. What is this called?

How are slime moulds characterised?

What shape is a slime mould in its vegetative state and when starved?

What enables the plasmodium of a slime mould fruiting body to migrate?

List some bacterial strategies for the generation of metabolic energy which allow them their range of niches.

What is the significance of prokaryotic communities forming large consortia?

What is quorum sensing?

What distinguishes archaea from bacteria and what makes them similar?

What microorganisms are included in the eukaryotes?

Which microorganisms are included in the prokaryotes?

What are the protists subdivided into?

What are protozoa?