Unit 1 Exam – Fundamentals of Microbiology REVIEW

  1. Know all about endospores.

Why is an endospore called a resting structure? Of what advantage is an endospore to a bacterial cell?

  1. Draw the following bacterial shapes: spiral, bacillus, coccus.
  1. How are spirochetes, streptobacilli, and staphylococci special conditions of the above shapes?
  1. Why are mycoplasmas resistant to antibiotics that interfere with cell wall synthesis?
  1. Eukaryotic cells may have evolved from early prokaryotic cells living in close association. What do you know about eukaryotic organelles that would support this theory?
  1. Know how to convert between micrometers, meters, and nanometers.
  1. Why do basic dyes stain bacterial cells? Why don’t acidic dyes work?
  2. What is the purpose of the decolorizer in the Gram stain? What is the purpose of a mordant used in the Gram stain?
  1. In a Gram stain, one step could be omitted and still allow for differentiation between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. What is the one step?
  1. What are the common structural components of DNA and ATP?
  1. Briefly state the role of microorganisms in each of the following situations:

  1. Biological control of pests
  2. Recycling of elements
  3. Sewage treatment
  4. Vaccine production

  1. Explain what gram-positive and gram-negative cells would look like after each step in the Gram stain.
  1. The best definition of ATP is:

  1. Which of the following is an organic molecule?

  1. Assume you are viewing a Gram-stained field of red cocci and blue bacili through the microscope. You can safely conclude that you have:

  1. Which of the following is not a distinguishing characteristic of prokaryotic cells?
  1. What will happen when a gram-positive bacterium is placed into distilled water and penicillin?
  1. What will happen when a gram-negative bacterium is placed into distilled water and penicillin?
  1. What will happen when a gram-positive bacterium is placed in an aqueous solution of lysozyme and 10% sucrose?

  1. Which of the following is not true about fimbriae?

  1. You have isolated a motile, gram-positive cell with no visible nucleus. You can assume this cell has:

Match the following cell structures to their functions:

  1. Cell wall
  2. Chloroplasts
  3. Endospore
  4. Fimbriae
  5. Flagella
  6. Golgi complex
  7. Gylcocalyx
  8. Lysosomes
  9. Mitochondria
  10. Pili
  11. Plasma membrane
  12. Ribosomes
  13. Rough endoplasmic reticulum

Match the following researcher descriptions to their field of study:

  1. Studies biodegradation of toxic wastes
  2. Studies the causative agent of Hauntavirus syndrome
  3. Studies the production of human proteins by bacteria
  4. Studies the symptoms of AIDS
  5. Studies the production of toxin by E. coli
  6. Studies the life cycle of Cryptosporidium
  7. Develops gene therapy for a disease
  8. Studies the fungus Candida albicans

Match the following microorganisms to their descriptions:

  1. Algae
  2. Bacteria
  3. Fungi
  4. Helminths
  5. Protozoa
  6. Viruses