Deck 1: Microbes Shape Our History

Question 1

Antibiotics are chemotherapeutic drugs that function by inhibiting an important cellular structure or process of an organism that is causing an infection.Which of the following would not be affected by an antibiotic that targets cellular metabolic enzymes?

A) Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria
B) Herpes virus
C) ameba
D) bread mold

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following demonstrates correct scientific notation of a bacterial organism?

A) Staphylococcus Epidermidis
B) Staphylococcus epidermidis
C) Staphylococcus epidermidis
D) Staphylococcus Epidermidis

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is always classified as a eukaryote?

A) papillomavirus
B) methanogen
C) Escherichia coli
D) yeast

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A microbe that is 50 nm in size would most likely be

A) fungi.
B) E. coli.
C) virus.
D) algae.

Question 5

Which of the following has been used as a tool for gene therapy?

A) viruses
B) archaea
C) protozoa
D) fungi

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT an explanation for the centuries it took between Leeuwenhoek observing microorganisms with his microscope and the discovery that microbes are capable of causing disease?

A) Microbes are found everywhere.
B) Bacteria appeared similar to sperm and blood cells under the microscope.
C) Microorganisms are capable of existing through spontaneous generation.
D) Diseases were not a problem in the world until long after the discovery of microorganisms.

Question 7

Based on the figure below,approximately what percentage of the hospitalizations in week 43 resulted in deaths?

A) 80%
B) 40%
C) 20%
D) 4%

Question 8

Which of the following methods for classifying life forms can best be used to distinguish between two closely related rod-shaped bacterial organisms,Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli?

A) physical characteristics
B) method of reproduction
C) DNA sequence comparison
D) environmental habitat

Question 9

What would John Tyndall have needed to use to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation with his experiments?

A) a swan-neck flask
B) a microscope
C) an autoclave
D) organic media

Question 10

If Spallanzani had unknowingly poked a hole in the top of his flask of meat broth,what would this have implied about the theory of spontaneous generation?

A) No growth would have occurred in the flask, refuting the theory of spontaneous generation.
B) No growth would have occurred in the flask, supporting the theory of spontaneous generation.
C) Growth would have occurred in the flask, refuting the theory of spontaneous generation.
D) Growth would have occurred in the flask, supporting the theory of spontaneous generation.

Question 11

Based on the figure,the type of organism shown is a(n)

A) virus.
B) bacteria.
C) archaea.
D) eukaryote.

Question 12

Which scientist is credited with constructing the first microscope?

A) Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
B) Catherine of Siena
C) Robert Hooke
D) Louis Pasteur

Question 13

Based on the figure shown,the type of organism indicated with an arrow could be a

A) virus.
B) bacteria.
C) macroscopic fungi.
D) large ameba.

Question 14

Why did fewer soldiers die from infectious disease during the Crimean War in the winter months?

A) Pathogens do not multiply as quickly in colder temperatures.
B) Pathogens do not multiply as quickly in wet environments.
C) Soldiers have fewer close interactions with other individuals during the winter months.
D) Chemical agents used to treat and prevent infections do not function effectively in warmer temperatures.

Question 15

Which of the following organisms would you NOT be able to see using Robert Hooke's microscope?

A) vinegar eels
B) dust mites
C) mold filaments
D) Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Question 16

Which key characteristic differentiates a prokaryote from a eukaryote?

A) the absence of proteins
B) the presence of DNA
C) the absence of membrane-bound organelles
D) the presence of a cell wall

Question 17

Which of the following theories was the Miller experiment designed to test?

A) the endosymbiotic origin of life
B) the idea that all the chemicals found in early Earth could have come together to form the basic components of cellular life
C) spontaneous generation
D) the RNA world hypothesis

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT considered a benefit of microorganisms?

A) nitrogen fixation
B) production of fermented foods
C) synthesis of vitamins
D) causative agents of disease

Question 19

Which of the following was an unexpected benefit of the bubonic plague?

A) There was no benefit to the bubonic plague.
B) The population of Europe experienced a baby boom.
C) It resulted in a better understanding of aseptic practices and how to prevent the spread of infection.
D) The population decline enabled the cultural advancement of the Renaissance.

Question 20

Which of the following would you not expect to find in the human digestive tract?

A) archaea
B) algae
C) bacteria
D) intestinal viruses

Question 21

Why was the selection of anthrax by Robert Koch a fortunate one?

A) The microbe that causes it multiplies slowly.
B) The microbe that causes it multiplies to a high concentration in the kidneys.
C) The microbe that causes it is not dangerous to humans.
D) The microbe that causes it can remain infective outside the body for long periods.

Question 22

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans is a microorganism that gains its energy from the oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe²⁺)to ferric iron (Fe³⁺)and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)to sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).Based on this information,T.ferrooxidans is an example of a

A) nitrogen fixer.
B) lithotroph.
C) endosymbiont.
D) biofilm participant.

Question 23

What is happening in the figure shown?

A) The mold on the left is producing a compound that inhibits the growth of the bacterial colonies on the right.
B) The mold on the left is outcompeting the bacterial cells for nutrients and therefore is growing faster.
C) The bacterial cells on the right are inhibiting the growth of the mold on the left.
D) The mold and bacterial cells are growing in a symbiotic relationship.

Question 24

Which of the following negative situations could be caused by the similarity between mitochondria and bacteria?

A) Vincent's Staphylococcus skin infection cannot be treated because the only effective antibiotic has too many toxic side effects.
B) Alexander suffers from myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers, a mitochondrial disease.
C) Lauren inherited complex I deficiency, a mitochondrial disease that inhibits her mitochondria from producing enough energy in certain organs of her body.
D) Sally was born with a pyruvate decarboxylase deficiency that prevents her mitochondria from functioning properly, resulting in severe mental retardation.

Question 25

Consider the figure below.What does the arrow pointing from cyanobacteria to plants and algae indicate according to the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells?

A) Cyanobacteria are the early evolutionary ancestors of plants and algae.
B) Cyanobacteria merged together to form plants and algae.
C) Cyanobacteria serve as a common source of energy for plants and algae.
D) Cyanobacteria were internalized by early cells to form the chloroplast present in plants and algae.

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT one of Rosalind Franklin's accomplishments?

A) generating the X-ray diffraction pattern of the structure of DNA
B) researching the structure of RNA
C) determining the form of tobacco mosaic virus's RNA chromosome
D) receiving a Nobel Prize

Question 27

According to the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells,respiring bacteria similar to E.coli were engulfed by cells and evolved into the

A) nucleotides.
B) protein-producing organelles.
C) energy-generating organelles.
D) waste-degrading organelles.

Question 28

The endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells explains how

A) prokaryotic cells transformed into eukaryotic cells.
B) eukaryotic cells evolved from viruses.
C) prokaryotic cells were incorporated by pre-eukaryotes as eukaryotic organelles.
D) eukaryotic cells eliminated prokaryotic cells.

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT an example of an endosymbiont?

A) Bacillus anthracis spores present in the soil of cattle farms
B) rhizobial bacteria growing in the root nodules of certain plants
C) microorganisms in the digestive system of the cow degrading cellulose
D) bacteria in termite intestines digesting plant polymers

Question 30

The discovery of ________ first stimulated the funding of millions of dollars into medical research.

A) penicillin
B) the structure of DNA
C) DNA sequencing
D) vaccines

Question 31

The arrow in the figure shows a(n)

A) gelatin suspension.
B) endospore.
C) colony.
D) cell.

Question 32

Warts are a common skin condition caused by an organism that cannot be grown in pure culture on an agar petri dish and is small enough to pass through a tiny-pored filter.What is the causative agent of warts?

A) a bacterium
B) a virus
C) an archaea
D) a fungus

Question 33

The first cellular genome sequenced was a(n)

A) animal.
B) virus.
C) archaea.
D) bacteria.

Question 34

Regarding the natural source for the production of antibiotics,the best weapon we have against pathogenic microorganisms is

A) medical doctors.
B) acclaimed scientific researchers.
C) other microorganisms that can exist with the pathogenic microorganisms.
D) the CDC.

Question 35

A microbial growth medium for Staphylococcus aureus is prepared with a high salt concentration to minimize the growth of many organisms that are not capable of growth in these conditions.This is an example of

A) animal culture.
B) endosymbiosis.
C) pure culture.
D) enrichment culture.

Question 36

The first vaccination was done to prevent

A) AIDS.
B) smallpox.
C) tuberculosis.
D) anthrax.

Question 37

Which of the following statements does NOT provide evidence in support of the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotic cells?

A) The DNA sequence of mitochondria is similar to the DNA sequence of respiring bacteria.
B) The DNA of chloroplasts is circular like the DNA of phototrophic bacteria.
C) Mitochondria are capable of free-living outside of a eukaryotic cell.
D) There is a lot of sequence homology between the DNA sequences of chloroplasts and phototrophic bacteria.

Question 38

What is the causative agent of the infectious disease used to establish Koch's postulates?

A) Streptococcus pyogenes
B) Bacillus anthracis
C) Helicobacter pylori
D) Chlamydia trachomatis

Question 39

Which of the following techniques is effective in creating an attenuated version of a pathogen useful for vaccinations?

A) putting a liquid culture of the pathogen in the freezer
B) heating an aged culture of the pathogen
C) homogenizing a culture of the pathogen
D) exposing a culture of the pathogen to nuclear radiation

Question 40

The X-ray diffraction pattern in the image seen here helped determine the structure of

A) alanine.
B) penicillin.
C) vitamin B₁₂.
D) deoxyribonucleic acid.

Question 41

Bacteria and archaea are classified as ________.

Question 42

In 1884,the Gram stain was devised to distinguish bacteria from ________ cells.

Question 43

Why does traditional microbial growth media only allow for the growth of 0.1% of all microorganisms in pure culture in the laboratory?

Question 44

Explain how the piece of equipment shown in the image below was used to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation.

Question 45

CASE HISTORY
In 2000,on a farm in North Dakota,67-year-old Caleb helped bury five cows that had died of anthrax.Wearing heavy leather gloves,Caleb placed chains around the heads and hooves of the carcasses and moved them to the burial site.Four days later,he noticed a small lump on his left cheek.Over two days,the lump enlarged and a lesion opened.Caleb then sought medical attention.The physician reported a firm,superficial nodule surrounded by a purple ring,with an overlying black eschar (piece of dead tissue sloughed from the skin).The physician prescribed ciprofloxacin,the standard antibiotic for cutaneous (affecting skin)anthrax.Testing the patient's serum with a bacterial antigen revealed the presence of antibodies,confirming the diagnosis of anthrax.The ciprofloxacin was continued,and the patient slowly improved over several weeks.
If this scenario were an application of Koch's postulates rather than a natural infection,which of these case notes would NOT be relevant?

A) Bacillus anthracis can be isolated from lesions on all dead cows.
B) Antibiotics successfully treated the lesion.
C) Caleb developed a lesion similar to those affecting the dead cows.
D) Bacillus anthracis can be isolated from Caleb's lesion.

Question 46

Give an example of a situation where Koch's postulates may not work properly.

Question 47

The involvement of bacteria in ________ explains why their presence is essential to the continued existence of plants and animals.

Question 48

CASE HISTORY
Debi was an ordinary teenager attending an affluent American public high school when she contracted tuberculosis (TB).She did not know the person who infected her.Infection requires inhalation of the causative bacteria.
Debi coughed all the time,felt tired,and was losing weight.Her coughing brought up blood.An X-ray revealed the signs of infection in her lung,including a large hole eaten away by the bacteria.
From Debi's sputum sample,a DNA sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The DNA sequence revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis,the cause of TB.Doctors prescribed isoniazid and rifampin,antibiotics that kill most strains of M.tuberculosis.But Debi's TB strain proved resistant to nearly all known drugs (MDR-TB).
Because drugs failed to eliminate the MDR strain,surgeons removed nearly half of her right lung to help the antibiotics overcome the infection.Debi recovered and returned to high school.She would have to continue taking antibiotics for years afterward.All the teachers and students in Debi's school were screened,and over 200 were found to have been infected by a student with tuberculosis misdiagnosed for two years.All required treatment to prevent disease.
When Debi contracted tuberculosis,she did not know who had infected her or how she had been infected.How could this be?

Question 49

Why did agar offer an improvement over gelatin for the growth of microorganisms?

Question 50

CASE HISTORY
Debi was an ordinary teenager attending an affluent American public high school when she contracted tuberculosis (TB).She did not know the person who infected her.Infection requires inhalation of the causative bacteria.
Debi coughed all the time,felt tired,and was losing weight.Her coughing brought up blood.
An X-ray revealed the signs of infection in her lung,including a large hole eaten away by the bacteria.
From Debi's sputum sample,a DNA sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The DNA sequence revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis,the cause of TB.Doctors prescribed isoniazid and rifampin,antibiotics that kill most strains of M.tuberculosis.But Debi's TB strain proved resistant to nearly all known drugs (MDR-TB).
Because drugs failed to eliminate the MDR strain,surgeons removed nearly half of her right lung to help the antibiotics overcome the infection.Debi recovered and returned to high school.She would have to continue taking antibiotics for years afterward.All the teachers and students in Debi's school were screened,and over 200 were found to have been infected by a student with tuberculosis misdiagnosed for two years.All required treatment to prevent disease.
Which organism in this case history is the pathogen? To what domain does this organism belong and what are the defining features of that domain?

Question 51

Consider the statement below.Evaluate whether you agree or disagree with this statement and provide evidence supporting your position.
"Microorganisms are dangerous to human existence."

Question 52

Observe the DNA sequence shown.This sequence terminates at the base ________.

Question 53

Explain how comparing the sequences of antibiotic-resistant and -sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis could be useful to treating tuberculosis.

Question 54

Explain how it would have taken much longer to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation if John Tyndall was the only scientist investigating it.

Question 55

Florence Nightingale used a polar area chart to track the ________ of soldiers during the Crimean War.