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Test 4 Campbell
Test 4
73
Microbiology
Undergraduate 3
11/17/2015

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Term
What is the diauxic growth curve?
Definition
There are 2 lag phases. The first one is preparing the first food source, then the second lag phase is for the bacteria to change machinery to prepare for the second food source
Term
What is an operon?
Definition
Groups of genes that occur one after another and put onto the same messenger RNA. It has a promoter which helps transcription and an operator which makes the enzyme "go"
Term
What are the two types of proteins that affect regulation?
Definition
Repression and Activators
Term
What is repression the repression protein?
Definition
A repressor protein would be inhibiting the transcription. This binds to the operator.
Term
What is induction for the repression protein?
Definition
It causes the gene to turn on. The inductor turns off the repressor. The inducer binds the allosteric site which changes the shape. The repressor therefore cannot bind and transcription can occur
Term
What is corepression?
Definition
a corepressor binds to the allosteric site of the repressor, activating it to bind the operator
Term
What is the activation protein?
Definition
It is a protein that promotes transcription. There is a binding site for the activator just ahead of the promoter. this will assist the sigma factors and polymerase binding the DNA.
Term
What is induction for the activation protein?
Definition
Activators that need inducers will be the wrong shape to bind the binding site until the inducer comes along to bind the activator which changes it binding site to fit.
Term
What is repression of an activator?
Definition
Allosteric inhibitor binds the activator which turns it off. This prevents transcription
Term
What is the Lac Operon? (LacZ, Lac Y, LacA, LacI)
Definition
The Lac Operon has 3 genes: lac Z, lac Y, and lac A. Lac Z encodes for beta galactosidase. This cuts lactose into 2 products of glucose and galactose. Lac Y is the permease. It permits lactose into the cell. Lac A aids in the transport of lactose. LacI is the inhibitor
Term
What is the structure of the lac operon? (order)
Definition
CAP site --> lac promoter --> operator --> lacZ --> lacY --> lacA --> lac terminator
Term
What happens when there is no lactose present in the lac operon?
Definition
The gene will be repressed constantly. The repressor is expressed. The repressor will bind the operator and it blocks polymerase from leaving the promoter. It prevents the polymerase from binding. The repressor is active and the operon is off
Term
What happens where there is lactose present in the lac operon?
Definition
The repressor is always on, but in the presence of lactose it needs to be taken off the operator. The lacY brings in the lactose to the cell. Induction needs to occurs. Due to chance, the repressor occasionally falls of and the message is copied. This means the cell has very small amounts of beta galactosidase. This small amount is enough to make allolactose. This is the inducer. LacZ, LacY, and LacA are all needed to bring in lactose and break it down
Term
What is catabolite repression with the lac operon?
Definition
The CAP deals a lot with cyclic AMP. CAP activates the lac operon but if glucose is around, the lac operon is not needed. The glucose levels control when the lac operon works. Cyclic AMP is a signal to tell the cell how much glucose is present. Whenever glucose levels are high,cyclic AMP levels are low. Vice Versa. Cyclic AMP is the inducer for CAP so if there is no cyclic AMP, there is no CAP. If there is no glucose (high levels of cyclic amp), the CAP can turn on and there is an active lac operon.
Term
What if there is glucose but no lactose?
Definition
Since glucose levels are high, this means cyclic AMP levels are low. This means the CAP is off. This means the lac operon is off as well. The repressor stays bound due to no allolactose.
Term
What if there is both lactose and glucose?
Definition
Since glucose still exists, the CAP is off due to low cyclic AMP. The repressor has been induced due to lactose being present, but the helix cannot bind because there is no activator.
Term
What if there is no lactose or glucose?
Definition
There are high levels are cyclic AMP due to no glucose, but since there is no lactose, the repressor is still on. Transcription cannot occur
Term
What if there is lactose but no glucose?
Definition
The CAP would be active due to high cyclic AMP levels. CAP would activate the lac operon. The repressor has been induced by allolactose. Transcription occurs
Term
What is the tryptophan repressor?
Definition
It is a corepressor that has enzymes to make amino acids. If the levels are low, it will transcribe. If the levels are high, tryptophan corepresses it own repressor. This is an example of feedback inhibition
Term
What is the arabinose operon?
Definition
It is regulated by the presence of arabinose. If arabinose is not present, the gene will not be made to break it down. When there is no arabinose aroumd, there are special DNA binding proteins that exclude the CAP site by bending DNA. If arabinose is present, it will interact with the proteins and the strand will open. An activator is then able to be put into the CAP site.
Term
What is attenuation?
Definition
It couples to translation. The amount of tryptophan in the environment affects the speed that the ribosome moves. You can then control how long parts of mRNA are free. If trypotphan levels are low, you wait longer. This is enough time for the 2 portion to pair with the 3 portion. This is an antiterminator. The ribosome will then be able to make tryptophan. If tryptophan levels are high, the ribosome is moving faster. There is not enough time for 2 to pair with 3. But 3 pairs to 4. This forms the terminator loop. The ribosome then hits that and falls apart. No tryptophan is made.
Term
What are small or noncoding RNA's
Definition
They will never make proteins and are antisense RNA's. These small RNA's can base pair with mRNA's creating double stranded RNA. This creates RNA interference. This targets the message for destruction.
Term
What is Quorum Sensing?
Definition
bacteria can detect how many other cells are nearby. Autoinducers are used to communicate and diffuse through the membrane easily. Gm negative cells produce AHL and Gm positive cells produce short peptides. All cells make it and there is monitoring of the levels.
Term
What is quorum sensing in V.fischeri specifically?
Definition
An activator called LuxR is generally inactive until it comes into contact with its auto inductor of AHL. When the activator meets with the inductor, it binds the activator site. The RN polymerase can recruit and genes can be made. This makes more AHL. The more AHL that is made, the more the other cells take in.
Term
Where are resistance mechanisms normally found?
Definition
On plasmids because they are expensive to maintain, so the bacteria will only hold on to them if they are being used
Term
What are the two types of gene transfer?
Definition
Horizontal- something changes within the cell
Vertical- something happens to move the genetic information to a new generation
Term
What is conjugation?
Definition
Transfer is mediated by a plasmid. Cell to Cell contact is necessary. The structure responsible for this is the pilus. DNA is coming from a donor cell (F+) to a recipient cell (F-). The donor has the plasmid the recipient wants. Once the recipient recieves the plasmid, it is considered F+.
Term
What are the different fertility factors in conjugation?
Definition
A plasmid in a cell is called F+. A cell without the plasmid is F-. If a F+ plasmid integrates into the chromosome, it is Hfr. It is still considered F- due to it not fuly transmitting. If the plasmid from Hfr pops out and tkaes some bacterial DNA, it becomes F'.
Term
What is a Hfr strain?
Definition
When a F+ plasmid integrates into the bacterial chromosome. This makes transfer difficult
Term
What happens if an Hfr strain decides to transfer?
Definition
The OriT is targeted and the plasmid has to replicate. This is difficult because the plasmid has been integrated onto a large chromosome and the entire thing needs to replicate. This is very unlikely, so most of the time, part of the plasmid and part of the chromosome get replicated and some genes can still get transferred. If the entire chromosome does not get transferred, it is still considered F- because the fertility factor is not transferred.
Term
Describe the Griffith experiment
Definition
Fred Griffith discovered transformation by using encapsulated s. pneumoniae. If the outside is smooth it is diseased, if it is rough, there is no disease. He gave rough DNA to a mouse and saw the mouse did not get sick. He gave smooth DNA to the mouse and the mouse died. He killed the smooth DNA and gave it to the mouse and the mouth lived. He gave dead smooth DNA and living rough DNA to the mouse and the mouse died. When the bacteria was extracted from the mouse it was smooth. The living bacteria took the DNA of the smooth bacteria and capsulated.
Term
What is transformation?
Definition
The bacterial uptake of naked DNA.
Dead cell releases DNA fragments --> DNA fragment is taken up by living cell --> DNA is incorporated by homologous recombination --> cell contains new DNA
Term
Why is artificial transformation important?
Definition
Competence is not done by a lot of bacteria naturally. Competence is the state of the cell wall and membrane transport a large DNA molecule.
Term
What are the two types of artificial transformation?
Definition
Chemical Treatment: certain chemicals are added to the cell to weaken the membrane. This makes it easier for things to pass across.
Electroporation- electricity is shot through the cell which makes holes. This makes DNA able to go through. The holes will heal but too many holes can kill the cell
Term
How does natural transformation work?
Definition
It is thought to have something to do with quorum sensing. There are a lot of bacteria in lid-late log phase so this occurs so the bacteria find anything they can to survive.
Term
What does the DNA transport system look like? (Gm+)
Definition
The first thing that occurs is a channel is made. ComGC makes the channel through the peptidoglycan by pilin protein. Com EA is the binding protein that positions the DNA to go through the channel. The double helix is too big to fit through the lipid bilayer, so one strand goes in by the degradation of DNa though N (nuclease). ComEC is the channel through the cell membrane. ComFA is the translocase that assists in moving the DNA through the cytoplasm. It pulls it through the entire channel
Term
What is the difference between the DNA transport system in Gm+ bacteria and Gm- bacteria?
Definition
Most of the structure is the same but Gm- bacteria need an additional channel. PilQ is the channel through the outer membrane.
Term
What is transduction?
Definition
DNA is transferred through bacteriophage from donor to recipient. Bacteriophages are viruses of bacteria. The virus is the donor and the bacteria is the recipient. This involves the life cycle of the bacteriophage
Term
What is a lytic cycle?
Definition
This is an active cycle. It is making copies of itself and it can lyse and kill the hose cell
Term
What is a lysogenic cycle?
Definition
virsus can "hide" by incorporating their own DNA into the host's chromosome. When this happens, we say they are latent prophage. A temperate phage is not actively causing disease yet but has potential to go lytic at any time
Term
What is the transduction process?
Definition
There is bacteria that is getting infected by a phage. Once the DNA is inside the cell, there are 2 options. The virus can go lytic and make lots of copies, then break the cell and infect more cells, or it can go lysogenic. It will go lysogenic due to the incorrect conditions. The DNA will integrate into the host chromosome and wait. Every time the cell divides, the viral DNA goes with it. Then eventually the environment may trigger the virus to pop out and transition to the lytic phase.
Term
What is generalized transduction?
Definition
This occurs during the lytic cycle. Any DNA can be transferred. the phage infects the bacterial cell and the host DNA is hydrolyzed into pieces and phage DNA and proteins are made. The phages assemble and occasionally a phage carries a piece of the host cell chromosome. Transucing phage injects its DNA into a new recipient cell. If host cell is delivered, the bacteria gains a new trick
Term
What is specialized transduction?
Definition
The phages that have been lysogenic have become lytic. Only a specific portion of the host genome can be transferred. The portion on either side of where the virus is integrated can be transferred. When the virus goes the pull away from the host cell, some of the host comes with it. This can then be packaged with the phages and shipped out as well. If some host cell is given to another cell, it gains a new trick
Term
What is the merozygote?
Definition
The intermediate where the new DNA is in the cell
Term
What is stable vertical transfer?
Definition
If the integration of the exogenote results in replication and if the replication results in reproduction
Term
What is unstable vertical transfer?
Definition
If the exogenote cannot self replication, the recipient reproduces and the exogenote cannote. Also, if the host restricts the exogenote, the exogenote does not replicate while the recipient does
Term
What are transposons?
Definition
Jumping Genes. they are genes that can get out of DNA and jump back in, moving within the same cell. They can be transferred into other bacterial cells.
Term
What is the structure of a transposon?
Definition
Insertion sequence. These consist of 2 inverted repeats. This means they are going to be read the same way backwards and forwards on the complementary strand. An enzyme facilitates the gene and is pulled out of the chromosome, this enzyme also helps reinsert it
Term
What is simple transposition?
Definition
Nonreplicative- the jumping gene does not copy itself to be up onto another genome. Once it is pulled off the gene, the space closes up and the gene is placed on the plasmid
Term
What is a composite transposon?
Definition
If a transposon has a group of genes in addition to transposase. these do not need to be contained within two inverted repeats
Term
What is the significance of transposon?
Definition
They are huge sources of antibiotic resistance. They can be used to study gene inactivation
Term
What is the definition of taxonomy?
Definition
The science of classification. It means to classify and give an arrangement that makes sense.
Term
What part of a bacterial name changes as new information is obtained?
Definition
The genus name changes, not the species name.
Term
What is a species?
Definition
A group that has the same characteristics for each other. The characteristics are very specific
Term
What are some difficulties associated with the field of taxonomy?
Definition
1. The field of taxonomy must change as new information about organisms are obtained
2. How much diversity is accepted into each group?
3. The use of common names are confusing compared to proper names
Term
What are the different type of strains?
Definition
Biovers: differs in the structure or metabolism
Serovars: differs in antigenic characteristics
Term
What are some methods in classification and identification?
Definition
Phenotype, Genotype, and evolutionary relatedness based on phenotype and genotype
Term
What is natural classification?
Definition
Arranges organisms into groups whose members share many characteristics. This does not work with microbes
Term
What is phenetic (artificial) classification?
Definition
Organsims with similar phenotypic characteristics are grouped together. This may not provide evolutionary relatedness for prokaryotes. All characteristics are weighed equally (disadvantage)
Term
What did carl woose do?
Definition
He proposed to compare ribosomes rather than DNA or RNA because ribosomes have the same structure throughout eukaryotes, prokaryotes, etc. Ribosomes function the same way in every cell, it is critical for protein synthesis, it is slow evolution, there is no evidence of horizontal gene transfer
Term
What are invariable regions?
Definition
Invariable regions are regions that presume the common ancestors contain identical sequences
Term
What are variable regions?
Definition
regions that are different. Oftentimes, you will see 2 closely relates organisms that contain more similar sequences in variable region
Term
What are oligonucleotide signature sequences?
Definition
This sequence is organism specific. This is how groups are make from the tree of life. It is made up of 16S rRNA sequences
Term
What is nucleotide base composition?
Definition
This is done from the perspective of the G+C content. The equation for percent GC is mol%GC= (G+C+A+T)*100. You can figure this out by exploiting the bond difference. This is normally determined from the melting temperature because triple bonds do not break as easily as double bonds. Each species has a specific fixed GC, family differences typically range betwenn 10%. You can only use this method to eliminate, not make a determination
Term
What is nucleic acid hybridization?
Definition
The DNA of a known bacteria is separated into different strands and then a filter was put on. A second unknown organism is cut up and denatures. The second organism's DNA is attempted to bind to the DNA bound to the filter. Where it binds, it becomes radio active. The readioactivity determines the posibility of bacterial similarity. If there is 25% binding, they are probably from the same genus, if there 70-100% binding, it is likely the same species. This method is more accurate than %GC but still cannot determine identity
Term
What is the criteria for defining a species?
Definition
If the bacteria shares more than 97% of their RNA sequence, if it contains more than 70% genomic hydribization, and GC, fatty acid analysis, and phenotypic methods are also considered
Term
What is RFLP?
Definition
Stands for restriction fragment length polymorphism. Restriction enzymes act like scissors that cut DNA in a specific way. This helps characterize and identify strains.
Term
What is the process of RFLP?
Definition
1. Digest DNA with restriction endonucleases. The amount of cuts are equal to the number of strands since the dna is circular.
2. Pulse field electrophoresis lets us deal with large fragments. When the gels run they use electrical currents to repeal and attract DNA. This causes the base pairs to separate. If the electricity runs too long, the gel will melt, so instead there is a large pulse of high electricity.
Term
What is PCR?
Definition
PCR makes methods like southern blot and RFLP easier by targeting the entire genome. The purpose is to make millions of copies to be able to be seen in a gel.
Term
What is the process of PCR?
Definition
1. The DNA is denatured at 92 degrees to seperate the strands so primers can come in
2. DNA is cooled to 58 degrees. The primers bind at this temperature, called the anneal step.
3. The temperature is raise to 72 degrees. This is the extend step which activates the polymerase, which makes a copy.
Term
What is southern blotting?
Definition
This is designed to test for DNA. The bacteria is isolated and digested with restriction enzymes. The DNA is seperated using electrophoresis. The DNA is denatured to seperate the strands which are put into a filter. A radioactive probe is added to the filter which is specfic for certain parts of DNA. This allows specific strands to be tested for
Term
What is serology testing?
Definition
Serology is a science that studies Ab and Ag interactions "in vitro". Antigens are Ag and antibodies are Ab. Antibodies can be made in the lab using rats and other animals which can be useful in detecting the presence of a bacteria down to the strain level
Term
What are the different types of serotyping?
Definition
Indirect: The bacteria is put onto a side. The antibody is added to the smear and if it matches it will bind. Another antibody is added with flourescens. If the bacteria lights up it is a positive identification.
Direct: The antibody that binds the antigen also carries the fluorescent probe. This is more expensive.
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