Exam 26: Bacteria and Archaea

A doctor is treating a patient for an apparent bacterial infection. She prescribes antibiotics that target either the peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls or the bacterial translational machinery. To her surprise, this treatment does not work. Why might this treatment be ineffective?

The NASA rover Opportunity identified ancient sedimentary rocks on Mars that formed in the presence of very salty water. Which group of Bacteria or Archaea includes strains MOST likely to give physiological clues to how life might survive under such extreme environmental conditions?

Like carbon, copious amounts of nitrogen are stored in (and released from) geological reservoirs such as sedimentary rocks.

Given the presence of Faecalibacterium in the gastrointestinal tracts of Europeans (Fig. 26.24), these bacteria are likely:

A patient visits a doctor complaining of a stomach infection. The patient insists that he be prescribed enough antibiotics to kill all of the bacteria in his intestines. Why is this a bad idea?

Recent evidence suggests that deep-sea waters (approximately 5000 meters below the surface) are rich in Thaumarchaeons.

_____ is a type of horizontal gene transfer during which genetic information is transferred from one bacterium to another by a virus.

Imagine that scientists discovered a new planet with evidence of microscopic life. The planet has an oxygen-poor atmosphere, and a remarkably hot and acidic surface. Life on this planet would MOST likely resemble which of the following organisms present on Earth?

Bacteria and archaeons are always found in the same types of environments.

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding Wolbachia bacteria?

Why does Ernst Mayr's biological species concept NOT apply to Archaea and Bacteria?

Imagine that a scientist is able to reverse the principles of diffusion, such that molecules preferentially move from regions of low concentrations to regions of high concentrations. How would this affect the morphology of bacteria?

If cyanobacteria never evolved during Earth's history, how would their absence affect the composition of Earth's atmosphere?

A researcher discovers a new prokaryote that lives on the seafloor near hydrothermal vents. This organism reduces CO₂ to form C₆H₁₂O₆, and also derives energy from H₂ (by oxidation). This prokaryote is a:

Oxygenic photosynthesis is made possible by the accumulation of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The primary producers of oxygen since 800 million years ago and those that power the modern carbon cycle are mostly:

Which of the following elements are cycled, due in part to the actions of archaeons and bacteria?

The Proteobacteria group contains:

For the first 2 billion years of its history, Earth's atmosphere lacked (or had very little) oxygen. Which of the following organisms produced much of the oxygen that now makes up the present-day atmosphere of Earth?

A woman decides to become a vegan and suddenly cuts out all animal products from her diet. She also makes the decision to no longer eat sugar. This will result in:

Viruses transmit bacterial genetic material from one bacterium to another in a type of horizontal gene transfer referred to as _____.