Week 4

Question 1

Without sexual reproduction, list three ways prokaryotes increase genetic diversity?

Answer 1

Transformation (Taking in fragments of DNA from surrounding environment)

Transduction (Using bacteriophage to transfer DNA to other prokaryotes)

Conjugation (2 Cells join via sex pili, donor replicates/sends some DNA to receiving cell. Plasmids also exchanged)

Question 2

What are the four major nutritional strategies of organisms, with a brief example?

Answer 2

Photo-autotrophs (light -> energy for biosynthesis/CO2 + inorganic elements = organic compounds)
Chemo-autotrophs (Oxidation of inorganic compounds = energy/ CO2 —> Carbon)
Photo-heterotrophs (light -> energy/organic compounds -> Carbon)
Chemo-heterotrophs (Eats other organisms for energy and Carbon)

Question 3

What is a viruses, and how does it cause disease (Brief)?

Answer 3

Small infectious particles, mainly proteins and Nucleic acids.
All are obligate intracellular parasites that re-write how its infected cell produces proteins/replicates, causing damage to the body.

Question 4

What are the factors that can limit the population growth of prokaryotes?

Answer 4

Available space, nutritional limitations, life cycle

Question 5

What are the key differences between Archaea and Bacteria?

Answer 5

Archaea Bacteria
Don’t have peptidoglycan cell walls. Have peptidoglycan
3 rRNA polymerase. 1 rRNA polymerase
Extremophiles Not extremophiles
Not affected by antibiotics Affected by antibiotics

Question 6

What group of protists are exclusively heterotrophic?

Answer 6

Protozoans ( Choanomonads ) all unicellular

Question 7

What are the key features of fungi-like protists?

Answer 7

Heterotrophic
Both unicellular & multicellular life stages
Asexual & sexually (when food is low) reproduction
Cells walls made from cellulose.

Question 8

What are the general characteristics of plant-like protists.

Answer 8

Autotrophs
Unicellular to colonial to multicellular.
Classified by the pigments of the cells.

Question 9

What are the 5 main groups of plant-like protists

Answer 9

Unicellular algae. Multicellular algae
Dinoflagellates. Browns
Diatoms Reds
Greens

Question 10

What are the key characteristics of fungal

Answer 10

Heterotrophic eukaryotic organisms
Grow as hyphal filaments 5-10 microns in diameter, while being meters in length (mycelium)
Secretes enzymes and other compounds, like antibiotics
Cell wall made of chitin.

Question 11

What are the 3 of styles of obtaining nutrition for fungal

Answer 11

Saprophytes (Break down dead organic material)
Parasites (parasitic towards a living organism. Effects agriculture)
Symbionts (work symbolically. Aids in agriculture)

Question 12

What are the 5 major groups of fungi

Answer 12

Zygomycetes (Bread mounds)
Ascomycetes (Sac fungi)
Basidiomycetes (Mushrooms & puffballs)
Glomeromycetes (terrestrial, asexual, endomychorrhizal)
Chytridiomycetes (ancient, aquatic, flagelated spores)

Question 13

List 3 symbiotic fungi’s

Answer 13

Lichens (Algae + Fungi)
Termitomyces (Termites + Fungi)
Mycorrhiza (Plant root + Fungus) 90% of all land plants are infected
Enables plants to grow in poor nutrient soils via breaking down nutrients