MIC102Exam1Key

Question
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

FormA
B
D
C
B
C
E
D
C
B
B
C
B
A
D
C
A
D
D
C
A
B
C
D
E
B
D

FormB
D
E
B
C
C
E
D
C
A
B
C
B
A
D
C
B
A
B
C
D
B
D
D
C
B
D

Thisisthekeyforeachtestform.What
followsisanexplanationofeachquestion
basedontheorderoftestformA.Ifyou
hadtestformB,thequestionswereina
differentorderbutwereotherwisethe
same.

1. Theaxialfilamentofaspirocheteisaspecializedtypeofwhatcellstructure?

A.Pilus

B.Flagella

C.Capsule

D.Slayer

E.Vesicle

Flagellaissimplytheonlyrightanswer.

2. Ascientistattemptingtostudyrelationshipsbetweeneukaryotesandprokaryotesisputting
togetheraphylogenetictreebasedonrelatednessofavarietyofspecificgenesequencesfrom
genomesshesequencedherself.Whenshecomparesabacteriumandaplantbytheir16SRNA

Page1of8

MIC102Exam1Key
sequences,shefindsthemtobedistantlyrelated.However,whenshecomparesthemusinga
differentgene,theyappeartobeverycloselyrelated.Whymightthisbe?

A.Thisgeneisfromtheplant'smitochondriawhichisderivedfromabacterialancestor

B.Thisgeneisfromtheplant'schloroplastwhichisderivedfromabacterialancestor
C.Thisgeneisactuallyfromabacterialendosymbiontlivinginsidetheplantcellshegot
theDNAfrom

D.Alloftheabovearepossibleexplanationsforthisphenomenon

E.Noneoftheabovearepossibleexplanationsforthisphenomenon

Plantshavebothmitochondriaandchloroplasts,sobothAandBarecorrect,andbacterial
endosymbiontscanpotentiallybefoundinanytypeofeukaryoticcellaswell.

3. Glucosefermentationbysomemicrobesresultsintheaccumulationofacidssuchasacetateand
lactateinthemedium.Thecreationoftheseacidbyproductsisnecessaryto
A. reduceATPproductionbysubstratelevelphosphorylation
B. increaseATPproductionbyrespiration
C. achieveredoxbalance
D. reverseelectrontransporttogeneratereducingpower
E. disruptenergytransport

OnlyCworks.FermentationallowscellstocontinuegeneratingmoreATPbySLPby
maintainingredoxbalance.Fermentationisnotlinkedtoelectrontransport/respiration.

4. ThemembraneofthebacteriumEpulopisciumfishelsoniprogressivelywrinklesandfoldsupasit
growslargerandlarger.Why?
A.Ascellsgrowlarger,theirsurfaceareaincreasesfasterthantheirvolumewithouttheseextra
folds,limitingdiffusionrates
B.Ascellsgrowlarger,theirsurfaceareaincreasesmoreslowlythantheirvolumewithout
theseextrafolds,limitingdiffusionrates
C.Ascellsgrowlarger,theirsurfaceareaincreasesatthesamerateastheirvolumewithout
theseextrafolds,limitingdiffusionrates
D.Ascellsgrowlarger,theyarenaturallyincapableofmaintainingaconstantshape
E.Ascellsgrowlarger,thesefoldsallowthemtostoreDNA

Forspherical/cylindricalshapes,SurfaceAreaincreasesmoreslowlythanVolumeasthe
radiusincreases,whichwilldecreasediffusionrates.Foldingthecellmembraneincreasesthe
SurfaceAreaofthecelltocompensateforthis.DandEareirrelevant.

Page2of8

MIC102Exam1Key

5. You'redoingaGramstaininlab,butyou'rerushedandforgetyourethanolrinsestep.Thegood
newsforyouisthatyou'vedonecontrolssoyouwillbeabletotellthatyoumissedthisstep.What
wouldbeyourclue?

A.YourGrampositivecontrolispurple

B.YourGrampositivecontrolispink

C.YourGramnegativecontrolispurple

D.YourGramnegativecontrolispink

E.Noneoftheseresultswillhelpme.Whatgoodarecontrolsanyway?

IfyoufailtouseEtOH,youwillnotwashtheCrystalVioletIodinecomplexoutofanycells,G+
orG.ThismeansthatbothtypeswilllookpurpleevenafterSafraninestaining.Youknowthat
aGcontrolbacteriumshouldlookpinkifyouperformthestaincorrectly,soCisthecorrect
answer.

6. WhichofthefollowingisNOTsomethingaslimelayerorcapsulecandoforabacterialcell?

A.Resistdesiccation

B.Avoidphagocytosis

C.Limitdiffusionofharmfulcompoundstowardsthecell

D.Allowcellstoadheretosurfaces

E.Createarigidstructuretomaintaincellshape

Slimelayers/capsulescansimplydoeverythingexceptE.

7. Microbesadaptedtogrowathightemperaturecanutilizeavarietyofstrategies.Whichofthe
followingisanadaptationthatonlyahightemperatureadaptedArchaeonwouldhave?
A. Proteinswithincreasedamountsofchargedaminoacidstopromotesaltbridges
B. UseofHeatShockProteinsandChaperonestohelpstabilizeandfoldotherproteins
C. ReverseGyrasetowindthechromosomeintopositivesupercoilstotightenDNA
D. Cellmembranecomposedoflipidbilayerwithisoprenoidslinkedtoglycerolwithether
bonds
E. Cellmembraneproteinsforpumpingprotonsoutsideofthecell

OnlyArchaeacanhavelipidsintheirmembranethathaveisoprenoidsandetherlinkages
soDiscorrect.

8. Whichofthefollowingstatementsiscorrect?

A.FlagellaandPiliarebothassembledbyaddingtheirrepeatingsubunitstothegrowing

base.

B.FlagellaandPilibothprovidemotilitybyrotatinglikepropellors

C.FlagellaandPilicanbothbeantigenic

D.FlagellaandPilicanbothbeusedtotransferDNAfromonecelltoanother
Page3of8

MIC102Exam1Key

E.BothAandBarecorrect

OnlyCiscorrect.A:onlypiliarelikethis.B:onlyflagellaarelikethis.D:onlypili.

9. Placethefollowingbacteriainorder,fromsmallestgenomesizetolargest:

1.Sorangiumcellulosum,asoilbacteriumthatcanundergocoordinatedmulticellular

processesandproducesawidevarietyofantimicrobialcompounds

2.Mycoplasmapneumoniae,anobligateparasitethatlivesentirelywithinthehuman

respiratorytract.

3.Escherichiacoli,abacteriumthatcanlivebothinthemammaliangutandinthewider

environment

A.1,2,3

B.2,3,1

C.3,1,2

D.2,1,3

E.1,3,2

Mycoplasmaisthesmallest,asitisverylimitedinenvironments,metabolism,andactivities.
E.coliisnext,asitismorealongthelinesofaregularbacteriumthatcansurviveinacouple
environments.Sorangiumisthelargest,asitcanperformcomplexactivities,hasacomplex
metabolism,andlivesinamoderatelycomplexenvironment.Referencedinanearlylecture.

10. Undernormalcircumstances,bacteriausewhichofthefollowingmechanismstokeeptheir
chromosomecompacted?

A.CloseassociationofnegativelychargedionsandtheDNAmolecule

B.DNAbindingproteinsthatfoldupthechromosome
C.AllowingaslightbiastowardsTopoisomeraseactivitytokeepthechromosome
slightlypositivelysupercoiled

D.Alloftheabove

E.Noneoftheabove

OnlyBiscorrect.Awouldbecorrectifitsaid"positiveions"andCwouldbecorrectifitsaid
"gyraseactivitytokeepthechromosomenegativelysupercoiled."

Forquestions1114,fillintheblanksinthechartwiththecorrectitembeingproduced(fromoptions
AE)

Page4of8

MIC102Exam1Key

11.
12.
13.
14.

(1)C
(2)B
(3)A
(4)D
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Macromolecules
BuildingBlocks
FuelingProducts
Structures
Canopies

Thisisfairlystraightforwardandthechartwasshownlotsoftimes.

15. PenicillinisadministeredtoacultureofStaphylococcusaureus(aGrampositivebacterium)thathas
reachedarelativelystablestationaryphase.Whatdoyouexpecttohappen?
A. Thecellswilldieduetotheeffectoftheantibioticontheircellwalls
B. Thecellswilldieduetotheeffectoftheantibioticontheirproteinsynthesis
C. Thecellswillremainmostlyunaffectedbytheantibioticbecausetheyaremostlyfinishedwith
cellwallsynthesis
D. ThecellswillremainmostlyunaffectedbecausetheirLPSwillprotectthemfromtheactionof
theantibiotic
E. Thecellswillremainmostlyunaffectedbecauseofprotectiveenzymesintheirperiplasm.
Mostcellswillnotbeactivelymakingmorecellwallatthisstage,soacellwallsynthesisinhibitor
likepenicillinwillnothavemuchofaneffectonthesecells.G+cellsdonothaveLPSora
periplasmsoDandEdonotapply.

16. Whichoftheseisnotfoundinanyprokaryoticcell?
A. StoragegranulescontainingDNA
B. Plasmidsthatarestablyinherited
C. CircularDNAwithregulatedsupercoiling
D. Gasvesiclesandcarboxysomessurroundedbyproteinshells
E. Coexistingthylakoidsandcarboxysomes
Page5of8

MIC102Exam1Key

Wecoveredallthesestructures.Thiswasaquestionrepeatedfromthechapter3quiz.

17. Yourlabhasanoverlycomplexmethodofstoringmicrobialsamplesofalldifferenttypes.Notonly
doeseachorganism'ssampletubehaveaname,ithasalistofcharacteristicsofthatorganism.One
dayyourbossasksyoutograbatubeof"anyArchaeon"fromaparticularboxandthenleaves.
Whenyoulookinthebox,allthenameshavebeenwipedoff!Youcan'tgetintocontactwith
anyoneelseinyourlabforhelp(thoselazyjerks),butallthecharacteristicswrittenonthetubesare
stillintact.Whichtubecouldyouchoosethatwoulddefinitely,absolutelysatisfyyourboss'srequest
foranArchaeon?

A.LPS,CellWall(murein),Flagella

B.CellWall(unknowntype),Slayer,lipidbilayer

C.Mycolicacid,lipidbilayer,porin

D.Lipidmonolayer,Slayer,cellwall(unknowntype)

E.Lipidbilayer,sterolinmembrane,nocellwall

OnlyarchaeacanhavealipidmonolayersoDiscorrect.Bcouldbeanarchaeon,butitcould
alsobeabacterium,soitisnotacorrectanswer.

18. WhichofthefollowingcouldbeusingNonCyclicphotosynthesis?
A. Abacteriumthatusesbacteriochlorophyllasanelectronacceptor
B. AbacteriumthatusesthereducedsulfurcompoundH2Sasanelectronacceptor,
generatingsolidSulfur
C. Abacteriumthatuseswaterasanelectronacceptor,generatingOxygengas
D. BothBandCarecorrect
E. Noneoftheabove
Aiscyclic,asanybacteriumusingachlorophyllisdoingcyclicphotosynthesis.Cis
definitelynoncyclic,asbacteriathatdooxygenicphotosynthesisalwaysdoitnon
cyclically.Bisalsononcyclic,forthesamereasonasC.Theelectronacceptorisnot
thesamemoleculeastheelectrondonor,soitisnotcyclingthesameelectronaround
andaroundthesystem.

Page6of8

MIC102Exam1Key

19. Yourlazylabmatesareatitagain!Theysetupa10mlcultureofMyxococcusxanthus,butdecided
togoouttocatchsomePokemonwhentheyshouldhaveruntheirexperiment.Theycallyouinlab,
andaskyoutotakeanODreadingforthem.Youdothisfavorforthem,andhelpfullydothe
conversionintocells/mL,findingthattheyarecurrentlysittingatabout8.0x106cellspermL.Your
labmatesarehorrified:theywontbebackintimebeforethecellshitstationaryphase,sincethey
doubleeveryhour.Theybegyoutomakeanewcultureusingthesecellsandsetituptoreachthe
samecelldensitytomorrowmorning.Thats10hoursaway.Ifthecellsusuallylagforonehour,
whatcelldensityshouldyoudilutethecultureto?
A. Approximately1.6x103cells/ml
B. Approximately7.8x103cells/ml
C. Approximately1.6x104cells/ml
D. Approximately7.8x104cells/ml
E. Approximately7.8x105cells/ml
Onewaytofindtheanswer:
N=2n*N0andg=t/n
Weknowg=1hour.t=9hours(10hoursofgrowthminusonehouroflagphase).AndN=
8.0x106cells/mlbecausethatisthefinaldensitywewanttoreach.
n=t/g=9
8.0x106=29*N0
N0=15,625cells/ml=1.6x104cells/ml

ForQuestions2023,matcheachwordwithacorrectexampleorganism(fromthelistofAD)
20.
21.
22.
23.

ChemoheterotrophA
PhotoheterotrophB
ChemoautotrophC
PhotoautotrophD
A. E.coli,fermentingglucose
B. ARhodospirillaceaeutilizinglightenergytofixatmosphericNitrogenandgenerating
precursorsfrommalate(asugar)
C. Beggiatoasp.growingontheoceanfloor,utilizingenergyfromSulfuroxidationto
fixcarbondioxideandformprecursors
D. Nostocpunctiforme,aCyanobacteriumutilizinglightenergytofixcarbondioxide
andformprecursors
Thereisntmuchtoexplainhere.ReviewFigure5.3,table5.6fordetails.

Page7of8

MIC102Exam1Key

24. Arodshapedbacteriumisreadytobeginactualcelldivision.Selectthecorrectstatement.
A. Thenewlyreplicatednucleoidsareoccludingeachpole.
B. Thenewlyreplicatednucleoidsarenotoccludingthemidcenter.
C. TheFtsZringassemblesatthemidcenter.
D. TheMinproteinspreventtheFtsZringfromassemblingatthemidcenter.
E. BandCarecorrect

AisnotrightbecausenucleoidocclusionofthepoleisirrelevanttothissituationtheMinsystem
hasalreadyblockedFtsZbeforeanyDNAreplicationhasoccurred.DisincorrectbecausetheMin
systempreventsFtsZfromformingtheZringanywherethatisntthemidcenter.

25. TrueorFalse:Achemoheterotrophwillsometimesneedtorunelectrontransportbackwardsto
generateNADPH
A. True
B. False
Achemoautotrophwillneedtodothissometimes,asitisnotgettingreducingpowerasa
naturalbyproductofgeneratingenergy.Achemoheterotrophwillgeneratereducingpoweras
anaturalconsequenceofregularmetabolismandtypicallyuseselectrontransportasawayto
getridofextrareducingpower.

Page8of8