PVCC BIO150 Microbiology Chapter 3
Prokaryotic Structure Questions and
Answers
capsule - Answer-A thick, dense glycocalyx mainly used for protection. Primarily
protects bacteria from immune system (phagocytosis)
Biofilm - Answer-highly adherent, colonizing glycocalyx that loosely adheres to bacteria
and spreads out into the environment/surfaces.
Endospore - Answer-A thick-walled protective spore that forms inside a bacterial cell to
aid with survival by resisting harsh conditions.
heat, pressure, desiccation (drying out), radiation, chemicals and freezing - Answer-
Endospore is resistant against
Up to 20 - 30 years (anthrax forms spores that can last a long time in the environment) -
Answer-Bacteria in endospores can survive for how long in soil and dust?
To encapsulate important cell parts such as DNA, some cell membrane and cell wall,
spore coat, ribosomes and necessary cell machinery to come out of the endospore
state. - Answer-What is the function of the endospore?
Energy reactions (respiration)
Nutrient processing and transport
ATP synthesis - Answer-What are the functions of the cell membrane in prokaryotes?
Cytoplasmic membrane is closely adhered to cell wall / peptidoglycan layer.
Peptidoglycan layer / cell wall is thicker in gram-negative bacteria. - Answer-Describe
the cell envelope of gram-positive bacteria.
Cytoplasmic membrane is not as adhered to cell wall / in contact with the peptidoglycan
layer.
Peptidoglycan layer / cell wall is thinner and have another outer membrane making up
part of the cell envelope in gram-negative bacteria. - Answer-Describe the cell wall of
gram-negative bacteria.
Peptidoglycan is a unique macromolecule found in bacteria, which is a good target for
drugs since human cells would not be affected. - Answer-What is unique for bacteria
and why is this important?
, primarily made of alternating chains of polysaccharides / glycans (NAG and NAM) that
directly interact along with peptide cross-links.
Peptide cross-links are amino acid interactions that give more structure and support. -
Answer-Peptidoglycan is made of
Protection against pressure gradients, osmotic gradients, some structure and support -
Answer-What are the functions of the cell wall?
N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) - Answer-What does NAG stand for?
N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) - Answer-What does NAM stand for?
Gram Positive Bacteria Stain - Answer-First test in clinical settings to decipher identity
of bacterial organism?
thick cell wall and cell membrane - Answer-Gram-positive cell envelope consists of
outer membrane, thin cell wall and cell membrane - Answer-Gram-negative cell
envelope consists of
Teichoic acid near the surface of the peptidoglycan layer
Thick peptidoglycan layer (30 - 100 layers of peptidoglycan)
Lipoteichoic acid near the cell membrane side of the peptidoglycan layer to anchor it to
cell membrane - Answer-Gram-positive cell wall characteristics:
Near or on the surface of the peptidoglycan layer (cell wall) - Answer-Where is teichoic
acid located in the gram-positive cell wall?
Near the cell membrane side of the peptidoglycan layer (cell wall) to anchor it to the cell
membrane. - Answer-Where is lipoteichoic acid located in the gram-positive cell wall
and what is its function?
peptidoglycan primarily and some peptide crosslinks (amino acid interactions) - Answer-
The bacterial cell wall is made of
Outer membrane (consisting of lipopolysaccharides), thin peptidoglycan layer (roughly 2
layers), porins, a periplasmic space between the peptidoglycan layer and cell
membrane, inner cell membrane - Answer-What are the parts of the gram-negative
bacteria's cell envelope?
The structure of outer membranes in gram-negative bacteria consists of phospholipid
bilayer with lipopolysaccharides (LPS; unique to gram-negative). It is important because
human immune system has strong response to LPS and cause conditions such as
septic shock. - Answer-What is the structure of gram-negative bacteria outer
membranes and why is this important?
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