Microbiology TAMU Exam 1 WITH QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS VERIFIED AND APPROVED BY
EXPERT| RATED 100%|NEWLY UPDATED 2025.
What are microorganisms?
ANSWER ✔✔ Organisms that are too small to be seen with the unaided eye
How do microbes affect our lives?
ANSWER ✔✔
Fewer than 1% are pathogenic
Decompose organic waste
Produce oxygen through photosynthesis
Help create industrial chemicals and products through fermentation
Outnumber humans
What are some examples of eukaryotic cells?
ANSWER ✔✔ Fungi, protozoans, algae
What are some examples of prokaryotes?
ANSWER ✔✔ Bacteria, viruses (note: viruses are not cells)
What term describes the idea that microbes are everywhere?
ANSWER ✔✔ They are ubiquitous
What is a real-world example of a microbe in action?
ANSWER ✔✔ Polar bear hairs in warmer weather become green due to
microorganisms like algae and cyanobacteria getting inside the hollow hairs
What is microbial ecology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Microbes are an essential part of the ecosystem
Bacteria recycle carbon, nutrients, sulfur, and phosphorus
Use photosynthesis to produce energy and carbon compounds
Provide the foundation for aquatic food chains
What is bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔ The process of using naturally occurring or genetically engineered
microorganisms to clean up pollutants
,How do bacteria help in bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
Degrade organic matter in sewage
Detoxify pollutants like oil and mercury
Result: detoxification and reduced toxicity
What are examples of bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔ Bacteria like Pseudomonas species use crude oil for energy,
cleaning up ocean oil spills
What is a real-life example of bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
April 20, 2010: BP oil spill in the Gulf
Scientists discovered oil-degrading bacteria in deep-sea samples
By August, short-chain hydrocarbons were gone
Long-chain hydrocarbons remained, requiring further study
What was used on the Gulf oil spill?
ANSWER ✔✔ Dispersants and absorbent booms were used to break up oil globs
and increase surface area for bacteria to break down the oil
What is bioremediation of landfills?
ANSWER ✔✔
300 metric tons of waste deposited yearly
Successful remediation requires microbes, water, and oxygen
Groundwater contamination is a major concern
What is waste management by bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
Uses microbes to break down or remove toxic wastes from water and soil
Reduced pesticides by 96%
Solvents reduced from 1 million ppb to under 10 ppb
Detoxifies heavy metals
How do microbes interact with plants?
ANSWER ✔✔
Make nitrogen available to plants
Convert N₂ into usable forms like NO₂⁻ and NH₄⁺ (ammonia)
These forms are usable by plants as nitrate
How do microbes aid digestion in grazing animals?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria in the gut break down cellulose into usable compounds
Produce necessary enzymes for digestion
How are microbes used as biopesticides?
ANSWER ✔✔
, Bacillus thuringiensis produces spores and crystals toxic to insects
Crystals are ingested, activated, and damage the insect digestive tract
Harmless to other organisms
What is biotechnology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Use of microbes to produce foods and chemicals
Includes fermentation, industrial and medical processes
Example: Insulin production, cheese-making using rennin
How do microbes synthesize antibiotics?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria and fungi release natural metabolic products (antibiotics)
Help them outcompete other microbes
What is recombinant DNA technology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Enables microbes to produce vaccines, enzymes, and therapeutic drugs
Used in gene therapy
Genetically modified bacteria protect crops and produce insulin
What are types of microorganisms?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria
Fungi (bread mold)
Protozoa (amoeba)
Algae (Volvox)
Viruses (HIV in human T cells)
What are bacteria?
ANSWER ✔✔
Prokaryotes (lack a nucleus)
Have peptidoglycan cell walls
Reproduce by binary fission
What are archaea?
ANSWER ✔✔
Prokaryotes
Lack peptidoglycan
Have unique lipids and cell membranes
Live in extreme environments
Cannot infect humans due to environmental requirements
What are multicellular animal parasites?
ANSWER ✔✔
AND ANSWERS VERIFIED AND APPROVED BY
EXPERT| RATED 100%|NEWLY UPDATED 2025.
What are microorganisms?
ANSWER ✔✔ Organisms that are too small to be seen with the unaided eye
How do microbes affect our lives?
ANSWER ✔✔
Fewer than 1% are pathogenic
Decompose organic waste
Produce oxygen through photosynthesis
Help create industrial chemicals and products through fermentation
Outnumber humans
What are some examples of eukaryotic cells?
ANSWER ✔✔ Fungi, protozoans, algae
What are some examples of prokaryotes?
ANSWER ✔✔ Bacteria, viruses (note: viruses are not cells)
What term describes the idea that microbes are everywhere?
ANSWER ✔✔ They are ubiquitous
What is a real-world example of a microbe in action?
ANSWER ✔✔ Polar bear hairs in warmer weather become green due to
microorganisms like algae and cyanobacteria getting inside the hollow hairs
What is microbial ecology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Microbes are an essential part of the ecosystem
Bacteria recycle carbon, nutrients, sulfur, and phosphorus
Use photosynthesis to produce energy and carbon compounds
Provide the foundation for aquatic food chains
What is bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔ The process of using naturally occurring or genetically engineered
microorganisms to clean up pollutants
,How do bacteria help in bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
Degrade organic matter in sewage
Detoxify pollutants like oil and mercury
Result: detoxification and reduced toxicity
What are examples of bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔ Bacteria like Pseudomonas species use crude oil for energy,
cleaning up ocean oil spills
What is a real-life example of bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
April 20, 2010: BP oil spill in the Gulf
Scientists discovered oil-degrading bacteria in deep-sea samples
By August, short-chain hydrocarbons were gone
Long-chain hydrocarbons remained, requiring further study
What was used on the Gulf oil spill?
ANSWER ✔✔ Dispersants and absorbent booms were used to break up oil globs
and increase surface area for bacteria to break down the oil
What is bioremediation of landfills?
ANSWER ✔✔
300 metric tons of waste deposited yearly
Successful remediation requires microbes, water, and oxygen
Groundwater contamination is a major concern
What is waste management by bioremediation?
ANSWER ✔✔
Uses microbes to break down or remove toxic wastes from water and soil
Reduced pesticides by 96%
Solvents reduced from 1 million ppb to under 10 ppb
Detoxifies heavy metals
How do microbes interact with plants?
ANSWER ✔✔
Make nitrogen available to plants
Convert N₂ into usable forms like NO₂⁻ and NH₄⁺ (ammonia)
These forms are usable by plants as nitrate
How do microbes aid digestion in grazing animals?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria in the gut break down cellulose into usable compounds
Produce necessary enzymes for digestion
How are microbes used as biopesticides?
ANSWER ✔✔
, Bacillus thuringiensis produces spores and crystals toxic to insects
Crystals are ingested, activated, and damage the insect digestive tract
Harmless to other organisms
What is biotechnology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Use of microbes to produce foods and chemicals
Includes fermentation, industrial and medical processes
Example: Insulin production, cheese-making using rennin
How do microbes synthesize antibiotics?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria and fungi release natural metabolic products (antibiotics)
Help them outcompete other microbes
What is recombinant DNA technology?
ANSWER ✔✔
Enables microbes to produce vaccines, enzymes, and therapeutic drugs
Used in gene therapy
Genetically modified bacteria protect crops and produce insulin
What are types of microorganisms?
ANSWER ✔✔
Bacteria
Fungi (bread mold)
Protozoa (amoeba)
Algae (Volvox)
Viruses (HIV in human T cells)
What are bacteria?
ANSWER ✔✔
Prokaryotes (lack a nucleus)
Have peptidoglycan cell walls
Reproduce by binary fission
What are archaea?
ANSWER ✔✔
Prokaryotes
Lack peptidoglycan
Have unique lipids and cell membranes
Live in extreme environments
Cannot infect humans due to environmental requirements
What are multicellular animal parasites?
ANSWER ✔✔
