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72 Cards in this Set
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- Back
adaptation |
gradual adjustment of anatomy and physiology to improve an organism's survival in a given environment |
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nutrition |
process by which nutrients are acquired from the environment and used in cellular activities such as metabolism and growth |
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essential nutrient |
any substance that must be provided to an organism |
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macronutrients |
essential nutrients required in relatively large quantities and play principal roles in cell structure and metabolism ex: compounds containing C, H, O |
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micronutrients (trace elements) |
essential nutrients present in much smaller amounts and are involved in enzyme function and maintenance of protein structure ex: manganese, zinc, nickel |
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organic |
has C and H |
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inorganic |
composed of elements other than C and H |
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heterotroph |
organism that must obtain its carbon in an organic form |
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autotroph |
organism that uses inorganic CO2 as its carbon source |
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growth factor |
an organic compound that cannot be synthesized by an organism and must be provided as a nutrient ex: aas, nitrogenous bases |
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phototroph |
microbes that photosynthesize |
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chemotroph |
microbes that gain energy from chemical compounds |
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obligate |
being restricted to a narrow niche or habitat |
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facultative |
not being so restricted but adapting to a wider range of environmental conditions |
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chemoautotroph |
survive totally on inorganic substances as minerals |
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methanogens |
chemoautotrophs that produce methane gas |
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chemoheterotroph |
derive carbon and energy from organic compounds |
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saprobes |
free-living microbes that feed primarily on organic detritus from dead organisms |
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parasites |
derive nutrients from the cells and tissues of a host |
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obligate parasites |
unable to grow outside of a living host ex: leprosy, syphilis |
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diffusion |
net movement of molecules down their concentration gradient by random thermal motion |
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passive transport |
transport that does not require extra energy expenditure |
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osmosis |
diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane |
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isotonic |
environment is equal in solute concentration to the cell's internal environment |
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hypotonic |
solute concentration of the external environment is lower than that of the cell's internal environment |
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plasmolysis |
shrinkage of the protoplast away from the wall in cells with a cell wall due to water loss |
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hypertonic |
exposed to a solution with higher solute concentration than its cytoplasm |
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turgid |
being swollen or congested due to pressure |
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facilitated diffusion |
passive transport utilizing a carrier protein in the membrane that will bind a specific substance. binding changes the conformation of the carrier proteins in a way that facilitates movement of the substance across the membrane |
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specificity |
ability to bind and transport only a single specific substance |
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active transport |
transport of nutrients against the diffusion gradient (or faster with the gradient), presence of specific membrane proteins, and the expenditure of additional energy |
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carrier-mediated active transport |
uses specific membrane proteins that bind ATP and the molecules to be transported. ATP release drives the movement of the molecule through the protein carrier |
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group translocation |
active transport that couples the transport of a nutrient with its conversion to a substance that is immediately useful inside the cell |
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endocytosis |
transport by enclosing the substance in a membrane |
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phagocytosis |
ingestion of whole cells or large solid matter |
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pinocytosis |
mechanism for the entrance of liquids into the cell |
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cardinal temperatures |
range of temperatures for microbial growth |
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minimum temperature |
lowest temperature that permits a microbe's continued growth and metabolism; activities are inhibited below this temp |
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maximum temperature |
highest temperature at which growth and metabolism can proceed |
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optimum temperature |
a small range, intermediate between the min and max which promotes the fastest rate of growth and metabolism |
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psychrophile |
optimum temp < 15C capable of growth at 0C cannot grow > 20C |
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mesophile |
grow at intermediate temperatures optimum growth temps = 20-40C |
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thermophile |
grows optimally at > 45C will grow 45-80C |
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aerobe |
can use gaseous oxygen in its metabolism and possesses enzymes to process toxic oxygen products |
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obligate aerobe |
organism that cannot grow without oxygen ex: fungi, protozoa |
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facultative anaerobe |
aerobe that does not require oxygen for metabolism, and is capable of growth in its absence |
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microaerophile |
does not grow at normal atmospheric concentrations of oxygen, but requires a small amount of it in metabolism |
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anaerobe |
lacks metabolic enzyme systems for using oxygen gas in respiration |
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aerotolerant aerobe |
do not utilize oxygen gas, but can survive and grow in its presence |
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capnophiles |
grow best at higher CO2 than normally present in the atmosphere |
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neutrophiles |
living around pH7 |
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acidophiles |
lives at low pH |
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alkalinophiles |
lives up to pH 10 |
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halophiles |
osmophile requiring high concentrations of salt |
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osmotolerant |
microbes that adapt to wide concentrations in solutes |
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barophiles |
exist under pressures greater than the atmosphere |
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symbiosis |
two organisms live together in a close partnership |
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mutualism |
mutually beneficial relationship |
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parasitism |
host organism provides parasite with nutrients and a habitat |
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synergism |
cooperation |
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antagonism |
competition that occurs when the actions of one organism affect the success and survival of others |
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antibiosis |
production of inhibitory compounds |
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quorum sensing |
process of biofilm formation |
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inducer molecules |
molecules that induce an effect |
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quorum |
critical number of cells |
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binary fission |
one cell becomes two |
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transferse fission |
division plane forming across the width of the cell |
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lag phase |
an early flat period |
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exponential growth (logarithmic) phase |
period where the curve increases |
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stationary growth phase |
cells stop growing or grow slowly |
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death phase |
cells die at an exponential rate and most are unable to multiply |
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turbid |
cloudy |