Microbes

• microbes (micro-organisms): tiny organisms
• pathogen: a microorganism that is harmful to the host and causes disease
• cell plasma/membrane: controls what enters and leaves the cell (bacteria)
• cell wall: provides protection and support for cell (bacteria)
• capsule: sticky covering outside the cell wall that helps pathogens stick to its host (bacteria)
• pili: trade pieces of dna with other bacteria (bacteria)
• plasmid: circular piece of genetic information that keeps the info needed to run the cell (bacteria)
• ribosome: make proteins; perform protein synthesis using genetic code (bacteria)
• flagellum: long tail that allows bacteria to move (bacteria)
• bacteria are classified according to shape and four main groups: cocci (round), bacilli (rod), spirillum (spiral), vibrio (comma)
• diplo-: two (bacteria)
• strepto-: chains (bacteria)
• staphylo-: clusters (bacteria)
• all bacteria reproduce by binary fission, which is the division of a single cell into two identical daughter cells
• lag phase: small increases in cell numbers as the bacteria adjust to new conditions
• exponential phase: period of rapid growth, conditions for growth are ideal
• stationary phase: number of cells produced is equal to the number that are dying
• death phase: accumulation of toxic waste and lack of nutrients produces conditions that are unfavourable for maintaining life
• bacteria obtain nutrition from extracellular digestion where the bacterium secretes digestive enzymes onto a food particle, then the enzyme digests the particle into smaller molecules which is absorbed into the bacterium
• hyphae: thread-like structures that extend through whatever the fungus is feeding on (fungi)
• sporangiophore: lifts the sporangium to increase exposure to wind, water and animals (fungi)
• sporangium: reproductive organ that produces spores (fungi)
• spores: reproductive cells that grow into new fungi (fungi)
• although viruses contain dna and have a lipid membrane covered in proteins, they are not considered to be living organisms
• viruses are specific, meaning they can only attach and infect one type of cell
• capsid/membranes: allow viruses to recognise and gain entry into host cells by combining chemicals (virus)
• protein spikes: allow the virus to attach to host cells (virus)
• viral reproduction: attachment, penetration, uncoating, biosynthesis, maturation, release
• attachment: virus particle attaches to specific proteins in host cell membrane
• penetration: cell membrane forms an 'intuck' enclosing the virus particle in a vesicle
• uncoating: the virus' capsid is digested away, exposing viral dna
• biosynthesis: the host cell dna is used to make more viral dna and capsid proteins
• maturation: viral dna and capsid proteins are assembled into new virus particles
• release: virus particles are transported to host cell membrane, hot cell bursts, releasing particles