BSC 2011 Study Guide
Chapter 27
Chapter 27 – Bacteria and Archaea
1. What is the prokaryotic nature of bacteria and the archaea?
2. describe the cell wall structure of bacteria; presence of peptidoglycan; Gram + vs. Gram – ;
capsules; fimbriae vs. pili; basic cell shapes
3. taxis by means of flagella; what is the basic structure of flagella?
4. How is the DNA of bacteria structured/organized?
5. How do bacteria reproduce? How is genetic diversity produced in bacteria?
6. transformation vs. transduction vs. conjugation; plasmid vs. chromosomal conjugation
7. types of nutrition and metabolic adaptation in bacteria; aerobes vs. anaerobes; autotrophic vs.
heterotrophic; phototrophic vs. chemotrophic; nitrogen fixation; metabolic cooperation
8. bacterial diversity; 5 main groups and their subgroups
9. the extremophilic nature of archaea; contrasts and comparisons with bacteria and the eukarya
10. the role of chemical recycling in the ecosystem of prokaryotes
11. symbioses of prokaryotes
12. aspects of pathogenic bacteria; exotoxins and endotoxins
13. commonly used bacteria in research and technology
Key Terms – peptidoglycan, Gram stain, Gram-positive, Gram-negative, capsule, endospores,
fimbriae, pili, taxis, nucleoid, plasmid, binary fission, genetic recombination, transformation,
transduction, conjugation, F factor, F plasmid, R plasmid, obligate aerobes, obligate anaerobes,
anaerobic respiration, facultative anaerobes, photoautotroph, chemoautotroph, photoheterotroph,
chemoheterotroph, heterocysts, biofilms, nitrogen fixation, extremophiles, extreme halophiles,
extreme thermophiles, methanogens, decomposers, symbiosis, host, symbiont, mutualism,
commensalism, parasitism, parasite, pathogens, exotoxins, endotoxins, bioremediation
Note: This study guide may not be all inclusive of material covered. The student is responsible for learning all
material covered in lecture and as expected as part of this course.