bacteria and virus vocab Flashcards
(12 cards)
Prokaryote
a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles. Prokaryotes include the bacteria and cyanobacteria.
Bacilli
Bacilli is a taxonomic class of bacteria that includes two orders, Bacillales and Lactobacillales, which contain several well-known pathogens such as Bacillus anthracis.
Cocci
any spherical or roughly spherical bacterium.
Spirilla
a large group of bacteria having rigid cell walls; motile types have flagella. Examination of the blood prior to the invasion does not discover any spirilla.
Binary Fission
Fission, in biology, is the division of a single entity into two or more parts and the regeneration of those parts into
Endospore
An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria from the phylum Firmicutes. The name “endospore” is suggestive of a spore or seed-like form, but it is not a true spore.
Nitrogen fixation
the chemical processes by which atmospheric nitrogen is assimilated into organic compounds, especially by certain microorganisms as part of the nitrogen cycle.
Bioremediation
the use of either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants, in order to clean up a polluted site.
Antibiotic
a medicine (such as penicillin or its derivatives) that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms.
Pathogenic bacteria
Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease.
Virus
A virus is a biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. When infected by a virus, a host cell is forced to produce thousands of identical copies of the original virus at an extraordinary rate
Host
The biological definition of a host is an organism that harbors another organism inside or near their body in a symbiotic relationship.
