Viruses, Bacteria & Archaea

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MCAT Biology II (Viruses, Bacteria & Archaea) Flashcards on Viruses, Bacteria & Archaea, created by Gerard Jitechian on 08/06/2014.
Gerard Jitechian
Flashcards by Gerard Jitechian, updated more than 1 year ago
Gerard Jitechian
Created by Gerard Jitechian about 10 years ago
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Question Answer
Virus an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply ONLY within the living cells of a host.
What is the major limitation of a virus? It can only reproduce using the metabolic machinery of the host cell
Why can't viruses reproduce on their own? DO NOT CONTAIN: 1) Membranes of their own 2) Ribosomes-needed to make proteins 3) Cytoplasm 4) Energy source
Are viruses cells? No. They are noncellular.
What kind of genome do viruses have? DNA or RNA genome.
What surrounds a virus? A protein coat
Where do viral protein coats come from? The host cells
What kind of microscope is needed to see a virus? electron microscope
What do viral protein coats facilitate? The penetration of prospective host cells.
Three factors of virus classification 1) Type of nucleic acid 2) Size and shape 3) Presence / absence of outer envelope
What, specifically, do viruses rely once inside host cells? The host cell's: enzymes, ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and ATP for its own replication
Bacteriophage Viruses that infect bacterial cells
What targeting mechanism do bacteriophages use? Portions of capsid adhere to specific receptor on the host bacterial cell
Lytic cycle (5 stages) 1) Attachment 2) Penetration 3) Biosynthesis 4) Maturation 5) Release
Lysogenic cycle 1) Becomes integrated into the host genome 2) Becomes latent 3) May later reenter the lytic cycle
prophage viral genetic material already integrated into the host bacterial cell
Why are the Lytic & Lysogenic Cycles important in the field of medicine? They are key factors in targeting drug-resistant bacteria
Retroviruses any of a group of RNA viruses that insert a DNA copy of their genome into the host cell in order to replicate, e.g., HIV.
a key enzyme in retroviruses reverse transcriptase
cDNA a DNA that is complementary to a given RNA which serves as a template for synthesis of the DNA in the presence of reverse transcriptase
retrovirus action pathway 1) viral RNA enters host cell → cDNA reverse transcription 2) cDNA becomes integrated into host DNA and is replicated as host DNA replicates 3) Viral DNA is transcribed; new viruses are produced
What cells does HIV infect? helper T-cells
helper T-cell a cell that influences or controls the differentiation or activity of other cells of the immune system.
integrase virally encoded enzyme responsible for integrating viral DNA into host DNA
What allows viruses to jump from one species to another? Changes in the capsid or spikes of the virus
What is the major drawback of anti-viral medications? They destroy the host cells
How do anti-viral medications target infected cells? They are synthesized to target the enzymes which the virus needs to use for replication
Viroid Naked strands of RNA that lack capsids/Protein coats
Prions misfolded protein molecules with contagious tertiary structures
What do prions lack? genetic material
What tissues do prions affect? They only affect neuronal or brain tissue.
Are prion diseases treatable? No. All are untreatable and extremely fatal.
Prokaryote a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles
Peptidoglycan a substance forming the cell walls of many bacteria, consisting of glycosaminoglycan chains interlinked with short peptides
plasmid a genetic structure in a cell that can replicate independently of the chromosomes, typically a small circular DNA strand in the cytoplasm of a bacterium
How do prokaryotes reproduce? Asexually by means of binary fission
Conjugation A method of genetic recombination where a sex pilus forms between two cells and the donor cell passes DNA to recipient cell through it
Transformation A method of genetic recombination where a cell picks up pieces of DNA from the surrounding media in a test tube or dish
Transduction A method of genetic recombination where bacteriophages carry portions of DNA from one bacterial cell to another
Bacterial Growth Curve
lag phase 1st phase of bacterial growth. There is no increase in cell number; however cells are actively metabolizing, in preparation for cell division
factor contributing to length of lag phase growth medium
exponential phase (log phase) 2nd stage of bacterial growth. DNA replication begins and cells begin to divide
What factors affect the duration of exponential phase (aka generation)? the organism itself, the growth medium, and the temperature
stationary phase 3rd stage of bacterial growth. Metabolic activity slows and the cells cease rapid cell division
death phase 4th stage of bacterial growth. Here, cells quickly lose the ability to divide (even if they are placed in fresh medium)
Obligate aerobes Prokaryotes that are unable to grow in the absence of free oxygen
Obligate anaerobes Prokaryotes that are unable to grow in the presence of free oxygen
Facultative anaerobes Prokaryotes that are able to grow in either the presence or absence of free oxygen
Mesophiles Bacteria that grow in ambient/room temp
Thermophiles Bacteria that grow in hot temp. (45oC/ 113 oF)
Psychrophiles Bacteria that grow in cold temp. [grow very slowly] (0 to -15 oC/32-5 oF)
Extremophiles Bacteria that grow in extremely hot temps (100-120oC/ 212-248 oF)
What important enzyme is derived from extremophiles? DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus for PCR (polymerase chain reaction )
Halophiles Bateria that grow in high salt areas
Gram stain procedure A laboratory staining procedure important for distinguishing bacteria based on cell wall structure. Classified as gram positive and negative.
Gram-positive bacteria Appear purple. THICK peptidoglycan on the very outside of their cell walls
Gram-negative bacteria Appear pink. Have a THIN peptidoglycan hidden inside a much more COMPLEX cell wall
Three bacterial classes based on shape spirilli, bacilli, cocci)
spirilli Spiral shaped
bacilli Rod shaped
cocci Round shaped
Cyanobacteria Gram-negative bacteria that undergo photosynthesis
lichen A symbiotic relationship where the cyanobacteria provides the fungus with organic nutrients and the fungus protects the cyanobacteria and supplies it with inorganic nutrients
Archaea Chemoautotrophs, do not contain peptidoglycan, and are related to eukaryotes
Chemoautotroph Oxidize inorganic compounds (i.e., H2 gas, NH3) to obtain the energy needed to break down CO2 into an
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Gram-negative bacteria have this on their cell walls to protect agaist chemical agents that may destroy it. They are very toxic to animals
ENDOTOXIN Chemical in Gram-negative bacteria released into host only when the bacterial cell wall is destroyed
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