Deck 11: Characterizing and Classifying Prokaryotes

Question 1

The current taxonomy of the bacteria as described in Bergeyʹs Manual of Systematic Bacteriology

A) is based largely on physical and metabolic characteristics.
B) includes three domains.
C) is primarily based on genetic sequences.
D) can be considered complete.
E) is universally agreed upon.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The psychrophilic Gram-positive bacillus can become an intracellular parasite of white blood cells.

A) Clostridium perfringens
B) Bacillus polymyxa
C) Corynebacterium diphtheriae
D) Enterococcus
E) Listeria monocytogenes

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The Gram-positive obligate anaerobe causes a severe diarrhea.

A) Clostridium botulinum
B) Clostridium perfringens
C) Bacillus anthracis
D) Clostridium difficile
E) Selenomonas

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following types of microbes might be found in a boiling hot spring?

A) halophiles
B) actinomycetes
C) hyperthermophiles
D) phototrophic bacteria
E) methanogens

Question 5

Low G + C bacilli in the genus are beneficial to humans as probiotics.

A) Staphylococcus
B) Listeria
C) Mycobacterium
D) Corynebacterium
E) Lactobacillus

Question 6

High G + C Gram-positive filamentous bacteria of the genus are capable of metabolizing a diverse range of environmental contaminants.

A) Corynebacterium
B) Actinomyces
C) Rhizobium
D) Nocardia
E) Streptomyces

Question 7

Mycoplasmas are pleomorphic because they

A) are low G + C content Gram-positive bacteria.
B) produce endospores.
C) exhibit snapping division.
D) have no cell walls.
E) have sterols in their cytoplasmic membranes.

Question 8

Some obligately anaerobic are used in sewage treatment, and produce a fuel that can be used to produce electricity.

A) halophiles
B) hyperthermophiles
C) thermophiles
D) methanogens
E) cyanobacteria

Question 9

What bacterial structure is responsible for separating the daughter DNA molecules after replication?

A) cross wall
B) spindle
C) fimbria
D) cytoplasmic membrane
E) cytoskeleton

Question 10

When conditions become inhospitable, members of the genus Clostridium produce an internal durable, dormant form by the process of

A) sporulation.
B) vegetation.
C) budding.
D) conjugation.
E) binary fission.

Question 11

Pleomorphic bacteria

A) are flexible.
B) reproduce by snapping division.
C) have a slightly curved rod shape.
D) vary in size and shape.
E) are roughly spherical.

Question 12

The archaea known as halophiles

A) require temperatures above 45∘C to survive.
B) are members of the phylum Euryarchaeota.
C) require salt concentrations of 9% or greater to survive.
D) are members of the Euryarchaeota and require temperatures above 45∘C.
E) are members of the Euryarchaeota and require salt concentrations above 9%.

Question 13

Which of the following characteristics distinguish(es) the archaea from the bacteria?

A) cell wall composition
B) 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequences
C) cytoplasmic membrane lipids
D) the deoxyribonucleotides in the DNA
E) cell wall composition, cytoplasmic membrane lipids, and 16S rRNA sequences

Question 14

The arrangement represented in the figure is typical of which of the following genera of bacteria?

A) Bacillus
B) Streptococcus
C) Actinomyces
D) Escherichia
E) Corynebacterium

Question 15

Cocci which divide along alternating planes may stick together to form

A) staphylococci.
B) palisades.
C) streptococci.
D) sarcinae.
E) tetrads.

Question 16

The are autotrophs which live in anaerobic environments thought to be similar to conditions on the early Earth, and may have diverged from other bacteria far back in time.

A) thermophiles
B) mycoplasmas
C) cyanobacteria
D) deeply branching bacteria
E) proteobacteria

Question 17

Many cyanobacteria carry out both oxygenic photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation, but oxygen inhibits nitrogen fixation. How do these cyanobacteria manage both processes?

A) They trap the oxygen in special cells called heterocysts.
B) They produce cells called akinetes for photosynthesis.
C) The processes are seasonal; photosynthesis occurs in summer and nitrogen fixation takes place in winter.
D) Nitrogen fixation is sequestered in special cells called heterocysts.
E) They have special membranous structures like chloroplasts to separate the processes within the cell.

Question 18

Bacteria described as ʺLow G + Cʺ

A) include filamentous Actinomycetes.
B) are Gram-negative Cyanobacteria.
C) have unmethylated GC DNA.
D) have DNA composed of more than 50% AT pairs.
E) Gram stain pink and are cocci.

Question 19

Phototrophic bacteria that use chlorophyll a are in the phylum

A) Chlorobi.
B) Actinobacteria.
C) Cyanobacteria.
D) Chloroflexi.
E) Proteobacteria.

Question 20

Bergeyʹs Manual of Systematic Bacteriology contains

A) genetic sequences of prokaryotes.
B) recipes for bacterial growth media.
C) classification schemes for prokaryotes.
D) treatments for bacterial diseases.
E) rules for naming new bacterial species.

Question 21

Pleomorphic Gram-negative members of the Firmicutes that colonize mammalian respiratory mucous membranes are the

A) mycobacteria.
B) clostridia.
C) Rickettsias.
D) Actinobacteria.
E) mycoplasmas.

Question 22

Gram negative facultative anaerobes that metabolize carbohydrates via glycolysis are members of the

A) epsilonproteobacteria.
B) alphaproteobacteria.
C) gammaproteobacteria.
D) deltaproteobacteria.
E) betaproteobacteria.

Question 23

A Gram stain of a tissue sample from a patient shows Gram-negative spheres that can barely be resolved on the best light microscope. A transmission electron micrograph reveals the spheres have a double membrane but no cell wall. The intracellular parasites are likely to be a

A) Listeria.
B) Mycoplasma.
C) Coxiella.
D) Chlamydia.
E) Rickettsia.

Question 24

A flexible, spiral-shaped bacterium is called a

A) sarcina.
B) vibrio.
C) spirochete.
D) spirillum.
E) coccobacillus.

Question 25

What feature of mycobacteria is responsible for the unusually slow growth of these bacteria?

A) Their low tolerance for oxygen retards their growth.
B) They cannot fully metabolize carbohydrates and must rely on fermentation.
C) They lack a cell wall and are extremely fragile.
D) The mycolic acid in their cell walls requires signification metabolic investment.
E) They have limited numbers of ribosomes so protein production is slow.

Question 26

The Gram-negative diplococci are pathogenic members of the betaproteobacteria that infect mammalian mucous membranes.

A) Streptococcus
B) Neisseria
C) Coxiella
D) Listeria
E) Haemophilus

Question 27

A microbiologist observes what appears to be a pink -staining long rod within the periplasmic space of a Gram-negative bacillus. What is this structure likely to be?

A) Rickettsia
B) Bdellovibrio
C) Chlamydia
D) a heterocyst
E) an endospore

Question 28

A soil sample dilution spread on a plate containing carbohydrate-based medium yields a wide variety of colonies. One colony has no other bacterial colonies growing near it. Further investigation reveals the bacteria in the colony are Gram -positive and filamentous. The bacteria in the colony may be a member of the genus

A) Streptomyces.
B) Bacillus.
C) Pseudomonas.
D) Enterococcus.
E) Acetobacter.

Question 29

Prokaryotes of the genus Pyrodictium are

A) thermophiles.
B) halophiles.
C) endospore formers.
D) intracellular parasites.
E) members of the deeply branching bacteria.

Question 30

Unusual cellular extensions called prosthecae are associated with which of the following groups of proteobacteria?

A) delta
B) epsilon
C) gamma
D) alpha
E) beta

Question 31

A large number of Gram-negative human pathogens are members of the

A) epsilonproteobacteria.
B) gammaproteobacteria.
C) deltaproteobacteria.
D) alphaproteobacteria.
E) betaproteobacteria.

Question 32

Which of the following bacterial genera plays an important role in environmental nitrogen cycles?

A) Nitrobacter
B) Azospirillum
C) Rhizobium
D) both Nitrobacter and Rhizobium
E) Nitrobacter, Rhizobium, and Azospirillum

Question 33

Which of the following bacteria oxidize ammonia (NH3) to produce nitrate (NO3)?

A) Rhizobium
B) Cyanobacter
C) Azospirillum
D) Nocardia
E) Nitrobacter

Question 34

The ʺgiantʺ bacterium Epulopiscium reproduces by means of

A) viviparity.
B) snapping division.
C) sexual reproduction.
D) budding.
E) binary fission.

Question 35

The Gram-positive coccus grows in irregular clusters, and is frequently found in the human nasal cavity. When it invades other parts of the body it can cause serious disease.

A) Clostridium perfringens
B) Helicobacter pylori
C) Bacillus thuringiensis
D) Escherichia coli
E) Staphylococcus aureus

Question 36

Classification of bacteria into different phyla is based on comparisons involving which of the following?

A) cell wall composition
B) protein sequences
C) DNA sequences
D) both DNA and protein sequences
E) DNA and protein sequences, as well as cell wall composition

Question 37

The anaerobic Clostridium species are troublesome pathogens in part because of their capacity for

A) oxygen production.
B) biofilm production.
C) endospore production.
D) rapid reproduction.
E) high salt tolerance.

Question 38

The production of large masses of bacteria and organic materials (flocs) that settle out of solution make useful in sewage treatment.

A) Thiobacillus
B) Nitrosomonas
C) Neisseria
D) Zoogloea
E) Burkholderia

Question 39

Aerobic free-living Gram-negative bacilli in the phylum Proteobacteria that are capable of metabolizing a wide range of organic compounds are members of the genus

A) Rickettsia.
B) Pseudomonas.
C) Cytophagia.
D) Salmonella.
E) Vibrio.

Question 40

A field biologist finds what might be a new species of prokaryote in sewage sludge. It is an obligate anaerobe that metabolizes organic acids and requires hydrogen gas. It lacks a peptidoglycan cell wall. The new find may be a

A) clostridium.
B) mycoplasma.
C) bacteroides.
D) methanogen.
E) cyanobacterium.

Question 41

Halophiles grow equally well in the presence or absence of high salt concentrations.

Question 42

The process by which a bacterial cell produces an endospore is called (endosporing/sporulation/vegetation).

Question 43

All taxonomists are in agreement about the taxonomic scheme set forth in Bergeyʹs Manual of Systematic Bacteriology.

Question 44

A species of the genus Streptococcus is the leading cause of

A) contaminated milk and meat.
B) urinary tract infections.
C) food poisoning from rice.
D) tuberculosis.
E) ʺflesh-eatingʺ bacterial infections.

Question 45

Members of the genus Chlamydia are

A) classified with the deeply branching bacteria.
B) Gram-positive bacteria.
C) intracellular parasites.
D) endospore-formers.
E) thermophiles.

Question 46

Members of the Streptomyces are environmentally important because they can degrade a wide range of compounds including lignin from trees, chitin and keratin from animals, and latex.

Question 47

This bacterial shape is called (bacillus/vibrio/rod).

Question 48

Mycoplasmas are named for the large quantities of mycolic acid in their cell walls.

Question 49

The most common form of reproduction among prokaryotes is (snapping/budding/binary) fission.

Question 50

The rod-shaped (rickettsias/chlamydias/brucella) are intracellular parasitic members of the alphaproteobacteria.

Question 51

Some strains of Staphylococcus aureus can invade the body and cause diseases such as pneumonia and bacteremia.

Question 52

Most of the methane produced by methanogens is oxidized by other types of bacteria before it affects the Earthʹs climate.

Question 53

Gram-negative nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in association with plant roots are

A) betaproteobacteria.
B) cyanobacteria.
C) gammaproteobacteria.
D) alphaproteobacteria.
E) deeply branching bacteria.

Question 54

Cocci can be spherical as well as kidney-shaped.

Question 55

When an endospore germinates, it gives rise to two daughter cells called vegetative cells.

Question 56

The majority of archaea are extremophiles.

Question 57

Myxobacteria exhibit traits, such as cooperation and differentiation, not normally observed in prokaryotes.

Question 58

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by Gram-negative tiny bacilli that are intracellular parasites. They are in the genus

A) Enterococcus.
B) Bordetella.
C) Coxiella.
D) Acetobacter.
E) Rickettsia.

Question 59

The genus Mycobacterium includes species responsible for

A) food poisoning from contaminated dairy products.
B) urinary tract infections.
C) tuberculosis.
D) gastric ulcers.
E) food poisoning from rice.

Question 60

Some members of the alphaproteobacteria produce a structure called a (prosthecae/pilus/filament) to produce extra surface area for nutrient absorption.

Question 61

Compare and contrast methanogens and methane oxidizers, including their roles in the environment.

Question 62

The genus of pathogenic cocci responsible for a wide range of human disease and whose members grow in chains is (Staphylococcus/Streptococcus/Enterococcus).

Question 63

Will is a graduate student working in a microbiology lab. He is given the task of characterizing a newly discovered nitrogen fixing bacterium. What type of tests or observations will help him determine whether it is a member of the Cyanobacteria, alphaproteobacteria or gammaproteobacteria?

Question 64

The G + C content is a(n) (RNA/structural/genetic) determination used in classifying the different taxa of Gram-positive bacteria.

Question 65

Burkholderia is a common (true/opportunistic) pathogen of patients with cystic fibrosis.

Question 66

The arrangement shown in the figure is characteristic of (Actinomycetes/Caulobacter/Myxobacteria/Planctomyces) cells. (Use genus or taxon name.)

Question 67

Describe the similarities and differences observed among phototrophic bacteria.

Question 68

The (bacilli/Lactobacilli/bacteroids) are a group of Gram-negative bacteria that include obligate anaerobes normally found in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans.

Question 69

Plant tumors caused by Agrobacterium infections are called (galls/heterocysts).

Question 70

The reduction of nitrogen gas to ammonia is called nitrogen (fixation/cycling).

Question 71

Explain the significance of endospores.

Question 72

Nitrogen is frequently a limiting nutrient even though the atmosphere of the planet consists mostly of nitrogen. Discuss the prokaryotes described in this chapter which have roles in the availability and cycling of nitrogen in the biosphere.

Question 73

The members of the (alphaproteobacteria/gammaproteobacteria/actinomycetes) may alternate between a flagellated motile stage and a nonmotile stage attached by means of a prosthecae.

Question 74

The infective stage of chlamydia is called the (elementary/initial) body.)

Question 75

The (streptobacilli/actinomycetes/mycoplasmas) are a group of Gram-positive bacteria that form branching filaments resembling those of fungi.