VBS 2032: EXAM 1|Ques ons and answers | Updated
RATED A+ | University of Minnesota-Twin Ci es
What does the term “ubiquity” mean?
Found everywhere
- microbiology meaning: MICROBES can be found everywhere and are a part of most (if not all)
life forms on earth
-- normal microbiota on hands
-- enteric bacteria that break down nutrients
What are some surprising places microbes are found?
- Oceans
- Vegetables
- Inside of other living things
- In extreme temperatures
- At the bo*om of the ocean
- In the roots of plants (here they help fix nitrogen)
How can microbes travel?
flagella, cilia, gliding, fimbrae, slime coats, and magne.c forces
We do not yet know the extent of microbial diversity. Why not?
Some microbes live in places we can't get to. All microbes are microscopic, so isola.ng them in
order to learn about them is difficult. The diversity is so significant that it is not feasible to find
and study every single microbe.
- not all microbes are able to be cultured because we don't have the right environment
condi.ons for them
*hard to recreate op.mal growing environments in a lab. We do not know the growing
requirements of some.
What are three ways in which microbial ac vity is essen al for life on this planet?
1. Oxygen crea on: algae create more oxygen than trees
,2. Nitrogen fixa on: process where microbes take atmospheric nitrogen and reduce it to make
ammonia
- nitrogenous bases are part of the gene.c code -- certain bacteria are responsible for fixing N2
into NH3 (ammonia)
3. Recycling: without fungi and other saprophytes (a plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives
on dead or decaying organic ma*er) -- dead plant and animal ma*er would encase the planet
*(microbes are essen.al for life as we know it)
Where are several places microbial biofilms can be found in daily life?
- Teeth (in plaque)
- Showers
- Slimy slipper rocks
- Cathether
What are two ways microbes have changed that impact healthcare?
1. An.bio.c resistant microbes
2. pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes
Most microbes are not harmful. What are some reasons for this?
Most have characteris.cs that are different to ours, some can benefit human hosts, some don't
have the same virulence factors.
- Others are not parasi.c at all, so they have no need to be infec.ous.
- Many have a symbio.c rela.onship with other animals, in which case killing the symbiont
would be selected against through evolu.on.
Your friend recently ate a salad containing a brand of spinach that was recalled for
contamina.on with E. coli. Can you explain to her the factors that will influence whether or
not she becomes ill?
The number of microbes, virulence of microbes, and the host immunity (strength of immune
system) (something that may be very dangerous to someone else may not be dangerous to you)
are three factors that will influence whether or not she becomes ill.
*(number of microbes x virulence of microbe) / host immunity
What are some ways that the Chain of Infec on can be broken?
1. Isolate and treat the pa.ent
2. Wash hands
,3. Disinfect surfaces/ using proper PPE when handling infec.ous surfaces
4. Vaccinate
What is the “indoor microbiome?”
Microbiomes that exist indoors where we live and spend most of our .me.
- The billions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that we share our homes and offices with.
- What is the “Hygiene Hypothesis”?
- How might dogs (and other animals) posi vely impact our health?
Hygiene Hypothesis: lack of exposure to microbes can lead to allergies & autoimmune diseases
- spending over 90 percent of our .me in the bacteria-poor environment indoors, as we do
(especially early in life, when our immune systems are being formed), can cause our bodies to
overreact to harmless substances later on, making us sick. Or have allergies or asthma
- lack of exposure to pathogens can lead to higher suscep.bility
- Dogs can bring in 56 different bacteria classes into the home from outside that otherwise
wouldn't of entered
*The "outside" microbes can help us grow our immune systems
Why are pig whipworm eggs being considered for approval as a food ingredient in Germany?
- People in developing countries don't usually have allergies or asthma
- Calms your immune system (the immune system is ATTACKING the body that it is meant to
protect ex. allergies and asthma)
-- worms calm down these cells, eat, and treat allergic condi.ons
- In the past -- parasites were oHen and commonly found in the diges.ve system, and as hygiene
has improved -- it is thought that the possible benefits of some parasites and their impact on
the diges.ve tract were overlooked
Why use pig whipworms instead of human whipworms?
- Does not colonize like a human, but you get the same benefit
- Pig whipworms would not last as long in the human diges.ve system as human whipworms
would --- therefore vastly decreasing the risk of infec.on from them!
An increase in the ___________will decrease the likelihood of infec on.
A. Number of microbes
, B. Virulence of microbes
C. host immunity
C. host immunity
Nitrogen fixa on is an essen al process carried out by:
A. plants
B. algae and bacteria
C. fungi
D. protozoa
B. algae and bacteria
Microboes
- Evolved around 3.7 billion years ago
What two scien sts are credited with discovering microorganisms?
Antony Van Leeuwenhoek: made the microscope
Robert Hooke: published a book with detailed drawings of microoganisms
Is a virus considered a microorganism? Why or why not?
No because:
- they are acellular (not composed of cells) infec.ous agent
- nonliving (not alive) due to it having either DNA or RNA.
- Can't reproduce independently
What are some basic differences between prokaryo c and eukaryo c cells?
Eukaryo c:
- Unicellular or mul.cellular
- Have membrane-bound nucleus where gene.c material is located
- Variety of membrane-bound organelles
- Typically larger and more complex than prokaryotes
- 3 groups: fungi, protozoa, algae
Prokaryo c:
RATED A+ | University of Minnesota-Twin Ci es
What does the term “ubiquity” mean?
Found everywhere
- microbiology meaning: MICROBES can be found everywhere and are a part of most (if not all)
life forms on earth
-- normal microbiota on hands
-- enteric bacteria that break down nutrients
What are some surprising places microbes are found?
- Oceans
- Vegetables
- Inside of other living things
- In extreme temperatures
- At the bo*om of the ocean
- In the roots of plants (here they help fix nitrogen)
How can microbes travel?
flagella, cilia, gliding, fimbrae, slime coats, and magne.c forces
We do not yet know the extent of microbial diversity. Why not?
Some microbes live in places we can't get to. All microbes are microscopic, so isola.ng them in
order to learn about them is difficult. The diversity is so significant that it is not feasible to find
and study every single microbe.
- not all microbes are able to be cultured because we don't have the right environment
condi.ons for them
*hard to recreate op.mal growing environments in a lab. We do not know the growing
requirements of some.
What are three ways in which microbial ac vity is essen al for life on this planet?
1. Oxygen crea on: algae create more oxygen than trees
,2. Nitrogen fixa on: process where microbes take atmospheric nitrogen and reduce it to make
ammonia
- nitrogenous bases are part of the gene.c code -- certain bacteria are responsible for fixing N2
into NH3 (ammonia)
3. Recycling: without fungi and other saprophytes (a plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives
on dead or decaying organic ma*er) -- dead plant and animal ma*er would encase the planet
*(microbes are essen.al for life as we know it)
Where are several places microbial biofilms can be found in daily life?
- Teeth (in plaque)
- Showers
- Slimy slipper rocks
- Cathether
What are two ways microbes have changed that impact healthcare?
1. An.bio.c resistant microbes
2. pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes
Most microbes are not harmful. What are some reasons for this?
Most have characteris.cs that are different to ours, some can benefit human hosts, some don't
have the same virulence factors.
- Others are not parasi.c at all, so they have no need to be infec.ous.
- Many have a symbio.c rela.onship with other animals, in which case killing the symbiont
would be selected against through evolu.on.
Your friend recently ate a salad containing a brand of spinach that was recalled for
contamina.on with E. coli. Can you explain to her the factors that will influence whether or
not she becomes ill?
The number of microbes, virulence of microbes, and the host immunity (strength of immune
system) (something that may be very dangerous to someone else may not be dangerous to you)
are three factors that will influence whether or not she becomes ill.
*(number of microbes x virulence of microbe) / host immunity
What are some ways that the Chain of Infec on can be broken?
1. Isolate and treat the pa.ent
2. Wash hands
,3. Disinfect surfaces/ using proper PPE when handling infec.ous surfaces
4. Vaccinate
What is the “indoor microbiome?”
Microbiomes that exist indoors where we live and spend most of our .me.
- The billions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that we share our homes and offices with.
- What is the “Hygiene Hypothesis”?
- How might dogs (and other animals) posi vely impact our health?
Hygiene Hypothesis: lack of exposure to microbes can lead to allergies & autoimmune diseases
- spending over 90 percent of our .me in the bacteria-poor environment indoors, as we do
(especially early in life, when our immune systems are being formed), can cause our bodies to
overreact to harmless substances later on, making us sick. Or have allergies or asthma
- lack of exposure to pathogens can lead to higher suscep.bility
- Dogs can bring in 56 different bacteria classes into the home from outside that otherwise
wouldn't of entered
*The "outside" microbes can help us grow our immune systems
Why are pig whipworm eggs being considered for approval as a food ingredient in Germany?
- People in developing countries don't usually have allergies or asthma
- Calms your immune system (the immune system is ATTACKING the body that it is meant to
protect ex. allergies and asthma)
-- worms calm down these cells, eat, and treat allergic condi.ons
- In the past -- parasites were oHen and commonly found in the diges.ve system, and as hygiene
has improved -- it is thought that the possible benefits of some parasites and their impact on
the diges.ve tract were overlooked
Why use pig whipworms instead of human whipworms?
- Does not colonize like a human, but you get the same benefit
- Pig whipworms would not last as long in the human diges.ve system as human whipworms
would --- therefore vastly decreasing the risk of infec.on from them!
An increase in the ___________will decrease the likelihood of infec on.
A. Number of microbes
, B. Virulence of microbes
C. host immunity
C. host immunity
Nitrogen fixa on is an essen al process carried out by:
A. plants
B. algae and bacteria
C. fungi
D. protozoa
B. algae and bacteria
Microboes
- Evolved around 3.7 billion years ago
What two scien sts are credited with discovering microorganisms?
Antony Van Leeuwenhoek: made the microscope
Robert Hooke: published a book with detailed drawings of microoganisms
Is a virus considered a microorganism? Why or why not?
No because:
- they are acellular (not composed of cells) infec.ous agent
- nonliving (not alive) due to it having either DNA or RNA.
- Can't reproduce independently
What are some basic differences between prokaryo c and eukaryo c cells?
Eukaryo c:
- Unicellular or mul.cellular
- Have membrane-bound nucleus where gene.c material is located
- Variety of membrane-bound organelles
- Typically larger and more complex than prokaryotes
- 3 groups: fungi, protozoa, algae
Prokaryo c:
