BIOL260
Study Guide for Exam #1
(Chapters 1, 3, 4 and 6)
This is provided as a guide to some of the most important concepts covered in each
chapter. You are responsible for all material covered in lecture, even if it is not represented on
this outline.
Chapter 1: Humans and the Microbial World
1. What is microbiology and why should we study it?
2. How did the following scientists contribute to microbiology: Leewenhoek, Janssen, Hooke,
Redi, Spallanzani, Virchow, Tyndall, Koch, and Pasteur.
3. What are some products made with the help of microbes?
4. What organisms are found within the category of microbiology? What characteristics
make them unique? (2nd 5-min quiz)
5. What types of organisms are found in the domain Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea? What is
the basis for the classification of organisms into these three domains? How are the
organisms in the Bacteria domain similar to the organisms in the Archaea domain? How are
they different?
6. What are the similarities and differences between viruses, viroids, and prions?
7. What is the nomenclature followed to name bacteria?
8. What is the average size of bacteria?
Chapter 2: Chemistry
You will not be tested on this chapter but it is important that you understand the concepts.
Chapter 3: Microscopy and Staining
1. What is a smear ? Why do you heat fix a smear?
2. Describe the principle of simple staining. What can you determine about an organism
from a
simple stain?
3. What is a differential stain? Give an example of a differential stain.
4. Describe the four steps of the Gram stain and the purpose of each step. What physical
characteristic does it differentiate? What color are Gram + and Gram - cells?
5. Describe the following staining techniques and their uses: acid-fast staining, negative
staining, and endospore staining.
6. Know the parts of a bright-field compound microscope and their function.
7. Understand the function of the following types of microscopes: phase-contrast, dark-field,
fluorescence, transmission electron, and scanning electron. Be able to give an example of
when you would use each kind of microscope.
8. Understand the differences between a prokaryotic cell and a eukaryotic cell.
9. Know the various shapes of bacteria and the typical cell groupings.
10. Describe the following cell structures and their function: glycocalyx (differentiate between a
11. capsule and a slime layer), flagella, pili, fimbriae, cell wall (know the complete composition),
cytoplasmic membrane, chromosome, plasmid, periplasm, cytoplasm, nucleoid,
ribosomes, storage granule, endospore.
12. Be able to provide an example of an organism that contains a structure above using the
genus and species name.
13. Know the structures of Gram-positive and Gram-negative cell walls. (3rd 5-min quiz)
14. What is the function of endospores? How are they made? What are the steps in the
synthesis of a spore? Name a bacterial genus that produces endospores.
15. Understand the different ways to transport material across a cytoplasmic membrane.
Understand the different ways bacteria move material across a membrane such as
facilitated diffusion and active transport mechanisms (transport systems that use
proton motive force, transport systems that use ATP, and efflux pumps).
16. What are the functions of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane?
17. Review the parts of the eukaryotic cell. Which parts are thought to have evolved from
bacteria?
Chapter 4: Microbial Growth
1. Be able to explain/diagram binary fission.
2. Define “growth”, generation, generation time.
3. Know the different segments of bacterial growth.
4. Understand the importance of pH, temperature, oxygen, salt on bacterial growth.
5. Be able to identify the various locations that you might find organisms growing under various
temperatures/ pH.
6. Understand the difference between selective and differential media, and give an
example of each.
7. Understand why some bacteria might require a complex media for growth.
8. Be able to diagram oxygen requirements for the differing classifications of bacteria.
9. Understand the methods for determining bacterial number, turbidity
Chapter 6: Microbial Metabolism
1. Define metabolism and describe the difference between anabolism and catabolism.
2. Define enzymes and their characteristics.
4. Understand the factors that influence enzyme activity: temperature, pH, substrate
concentration, and inhibitors.
5. What are cofactors? What are coenzymes?
6. Understand competitive and noncompetitive inhibition. Know an example of each.
7. Understand the following terms and processes: glycolysis, fermentation, Tricarboxylic Acid
cycle, anaerobic and aerobic respiration, oxidation/reduction reactions, electron
transport chain, oxidative phosphorylation, and substrate level phosphorylation.
8. For the major pathways discussed, understand what is the starting material, what is
made in the process, and what is the final product.
9. What is the difference between aerobic respiration and fermentation? How do they differ in
the amount of energy (ATP) produced? What is the final electron acceptor in each
pathway?
10. What is the final end product from fermentation of glucose by E. coli? By lactic acid
bacteria?
11. What is the difference between aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration? Do they
differ in the amount of energy (ATP) produced? What is the final electron acceptor in
each pathway?
12. What is unique with the Pentose Phosphate Pathway?