STUDY GUIDE FOR MICROBIOLOGY EXAM # 2 (Ch. 11, 12, 6, 9 & 10)
Chapter 11: Characterizing and Classifying Prokaryotes
Phylogeny and Classification Systems: Binomial nomenclature system
Taxonomic categories: Domain, kingdom, phyla or division, class, order, family,
genus and species
Characteristics of five kingdoms (Prokaryotae or Monera, Protista, Fungi, Animalia,
and Plantae) and Archaea domain.
Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology
General characteristics of mycoplasmas, mycobacteria, rickettsias, chlamydias,
spirochetes, and Gram-positive/negative bacteria.
Know scientific names and importance of selected prokaryotes on list and
whether they are Gram positive, Gram negative, or mycoplasmas.
Chapter 12: Characterizing and Classifying Eukaryotes
Characteristics of Protozoa: Motility adaptations (pseudopods, cilia, flagella and
nonmotile), cyst versus trophozoite, and nutritional adaptations.
Know scientific names and importance of selected protozoa on list.
Characteristics of Fungi: Saprophytes or saprobes, opportunistic parasites,
nosocomial pathogens, unicellular (yeasts) versus multicellular (molds and fleshy
fungi), oxygen requirements, hyphae (coenocytic or septate and vegetative or
reproductive), sexual and asexual spores (conidiospores versus sporangiospores),
Nutritional adaptations of fungi
Fungal diseases or mycoses: Systemic, cutaneous, subcutaneous, and superficial
Economic importance of fungi
Know scientific names and importance of selected fungi on list.
Characteristics of Algae: Vegetative structures of multicellular algae (thallus,
holdfast, stipes, blades, pneumatocyst).
Classification: Green algae (chlorophyta), red algae (rhodophyta), brown algae
(phaeophyta), golden algae, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, and water molds.
Ecological importance of algae.
Know scientific names and importance of selected algae on list.
Characteristics of Lichens: Combination of a fungus and either an algae or
cyanobacteria. Unique ecological role of lichens.
Animal Parasites
Characteristics of Helminths or Worms: Body structure variations (cuticle, scolex,
suckers, proglottids, etc.), adaptations of parasitic worms, and common
reproductive strategies (dioecious versus monoecious or hermaphrodite).
Platyhelminths (Flatworms): Differences in body structure of trematodes (flukes)
and cestodes (tapeworms)
Nematodes (Roundworms): Infectious eggs versus infectious larvae
Characteristics of Arthropods: Body structure, role as vectors (mechanical versus
biological).
Classes of Arthropods: Arachnida, Insecta, and Crustacea
Know scientific names and importance of selected animal parasites on list.
Chapter 6: Microbial Growth and Nutrition
Physical Requirements for Growth: Temperature, classification of microbes by
temperature requirements (thermophiles, extreme thermophiles, mesophiles,
psychrophiles, psychrotrophs), pH and classification of microbes by pH
requirements (acidophiles, neutrohiles, alkalinophiles), hydrostatic pressure
(barophiles), and osmotic conditions (halophiles, obligate halophiles, osmotic lysis,
crenation, plasmolysis, isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic solutions).
Chemical Requirements for Growth: Carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus,
calcium, and other trace elements.
Oxygen requirements, Examples, and Growth Patterns (Essay Question):
Obligate aerobe, obligate anaerobe, facultative anaerobe, microaerophile, and
aerotolerant anaerobe.
Enzymes responsible for eliminating toxic oxygen by-products and their reactions:
Superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase.
Culture Media: Liquid and solid media, agar properties, and types of culture media
(chemically defined, complex, differential, selective, reducing (anaerobic), and
enrichment). Special culture conditions (anaerobic, carbon dioxide levels, and in live
cells or hosts).
Microbial cultures: Pure versus mixed culture. Techniques for isolation of pure
cultures, streak plate method for isolation, colonies.
Microbial Growth: Binary fission and generation time.
Stages of Microbial Growth and Graph (Essay Question): Lag, log, stationary and
death/decline.
Measuring Microbial Growth: Discuss pros and cons of each method.
Direct methods: Serial dilution and plate counts (pour versus spread plates),
filtration, most probable number (MPN), and direct microscopic count.
Indirect Methods: Turbidity, metabolic activity, and dry weight.
Chapter 9: Control of Microbial Growth in the Environment
Definitions: Sepsis/asepsis, aseptic technique, sterilization, commercial
sterilization, antiseptic, disinfectant, degerming, sanitization, bacteriostatic,
bactericide, germicide, viricide, sporocide, and fungicide.
Microbial Death: Rate of death and factors affecting microbial death.
Hierarchy of microbial resistance to death: Prions, endospores, mycobacteria,
cysts of protozoa, trophozoites of protozoa, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, naked
viruses, Gram-positive bacteria, and enveloped viruses.
Physical Methods of Microbial Control
Heat: Thermal Death Point, Thermal Death Time, and Decimal Reduction Time
Dry heat, moist heat, autoclave, boiling
Pasteurization methods: Classic, flash or High Temperature, Ultra High Temperature
(UHT) pasteurization and UHT sterilization
Low temperature: Refrigeration and freezing (slow versus flash/quick freezing)
Other methods: Filtration, dessication, and lyophilization
Osmotic pressure: Effects of isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic solutions on cells.
Radiation: Effects, pros/cons, and uses of ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, and
microwaves.
Chemical Methods of Microbial Control (Essay Question)
Types of Disinfectants, Pros/Cons, Examples, and Applications
 Phenol/phenolics
 Alcohols
 Halogens
 Oxidizing agents
 Quaternary ammonium compounds (surfactants)
 Heavy metals
 Aldehydes
 Gaseous agents
Chapter 10: Control of Microbial Growth in the Body
Antibiotic, antiviral, antihelminthic, antifungal, and antiprotozoan drugs
Wide versus narrow spectrum antimicrobial activity
Mechanisms of Action and Examples for Categories of Antimicrobial Drug
(Essay Question):
 Inhibition of Cell Wall Synthesis
 Inhibition of Protein Synthesis
 Injury to Plasma Membrane
 Inhibition of Nucleic Acid Synthesis
 Inhibition of Essential Metabolite Synthesis
 Inhibition of Attachment
Safety concerns with the use of antimicrobials
Antibiotic Resistance and Development of Resistance in Microbial Populations
Prevention of Antimicrobial Resistance