1. This chapter begins with a comparison of Archaea and Bacteria and important phyla of each. You do not have to learn these phyla. Do review the brief discussion of rickettsiae, chlamydiae and cyanobacteria also mentioned in lecture. Characteristics of Archaea are discussed throughout the chapter but you may ignore these discussions.
2. Name and describe the 3 basic shapes in which bacteria appear and variations of these morphologies. Explain the difference between morphology and arrangement and name these arrangements. Give some examples where shape and arrangement are part of the names of bacteria.
3. According to the author, why is understanding the structure of prokaryotes important in the fight against infectious disease?
4. Some bacteria have attachment pili and conjugation pili. Tell where these pili are found on bacteria and their functions. Describe the scientific study that examined how the presence of pili help E. coli be more pathogenic and tell why this is described as a “double-blind” experiment.
5. Explain chemotaxis and tell how flagella help some bacteria respond to attractants. (I will not test you on the structure and anchoring of flagella.) What is special about spirochete motility?
6. Tell the difference between the terms glycocalyx, biofilm, slime layer and capsule. Tell the functions of the glycocalyx and how it enhances pathogenicity. Tell where it is found on the bacterium. Explain how glycocalyx enhances the ability of Streptococcus mutans to cause tooth decay. Explain how biofilms can create threats for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Under what circumstances might a capsule be more advantageous than a slime layer for a prokaryote? Why would bacteria that can produce glycocalyx be of concern to the food industry?
7. Tell why cell walls are important to bacterial homeostasis and the consequences of not having a cell wall. Tell where peptidoglycan is found and tell how bacterial cell walls differ between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Tell why this determines how lysozyme and penicillin affect the walls of Gram positive and Gram negative species differently. Tell where lysozyme is found and why it is in body secretions. You might have to look elsewhere in the text to answer the questions about penicillin and lysozyme.
8. Tell where the cell membrane is found in relation to the cell wall and glycocalyx. Tell which antimicrobials effect the integrity of the cell membrane and how. In very general terms, what are the functions of the cell membrane?
9. Differentiate between the bacterial chromosome and the nucleoid and plasmids. Define “genome.” Tell why R plasmids are important.
10. Ribosomes are important for protein synthesis. Tell which antibiotics can cripple bacteria by interfering with ribosomal action.
.Visit http://microbiology.jbpub.com
and take the quiz that accompanies this chapter. Check out the on-line
MicroFocus stories.