Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Bacteria that can utilize methane, methanol, carbon monoxide, formic acid, and a few related one-carbon molecules as their principal source of carbon are called ____________. A. Methylotrophic B. Carbotrophic C. Monotrophic D. Autotrophic

2. Which of the following is not a major class of growth factors? A. Amino acids B. Purines and pyrimidines C. Vitamins D. Nucleic acids

3. __________ membranes allow some molecules to pass but not others. A. Permeable B. Inverted monolayer C. Selectively permeable D. Impermeable

4. Nutrients can be concentrated from dilute solutions by A. Pinocytosis B. Endocytosis C. Active transport and group translocation D. Electron transport

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5. Elements that are required in relatively large amounts by microorganisms are called A. Multivitamins B. Meganutrients C. Macronutrients D. Macromolecules

6. Organisms that can use carbon dioxide as their sole or principal source of carbon are A. Auxotrophs B. Autotrophs C. Prototrophs D. Heterotrophs

7. Organisms that use reduced, preformed organic molecules as carbon sources are A. Auxotrophs B. Autotrophs C. Prototrophs D. Heterotrophs

8. A wide variety of microorganisms are commercially used to manufacture _________ for human consumption. A. Vitamins B. Sugars C. Fatty acids D. None of the choices

9. Microbial degradation of a relatively indigestible compound promoted by the presence of readily utilized nutrient is called A. Mixotrophy B. Promotion C. Cometabolism D. Enhancement

Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

10. Organisms that obtain electrons from the oxidation of inorganic compounds are called A. Chemotrophs B. Lithotrophs C. Organotrophs D. Phototrophs

11. Organisms that obtain electrons from the oxidation of organic compounds are called A. Chemotrophs B. Lithotrophs C. Organotrophs D. Phototrophs

12. Organisms that obtain energy from light are called A. Chemotrophs B. Lithotrophs C. Organotrophs D. Phototrophs

13. Organisms that obtain energy from the oxidation of either organic or inorganic compounds are called A. Chemotrophs B. Lithotrophs C. Organotrophs D. Phototrophs

14. The movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration without the participation of specific carrier molecules is called A. Facilitated diffusion B. Osmosis C. Passive diffusion D. Active transport

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15. The movement of molecules across a membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration with the use of a carrier molecule embedded in the membrane is called A. Facilitated diffusion B. Osmosis C. Passive diffusion D. Active transport

16. The movement of molecules across a membrane from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration with the expenditure of energy is called A. Facilitated diffusion B. Osmosis C. Passive diffusion D. Active transport

17. Which of the following is a characteristic of active transport? A. Saturable uptake rate B. Use of ATP or proton motive force as a source of metabolic energy C. Can move materials against a concentration gradient D. All of the choices

18. Mixotrophic organisms A. Can derive energy from photosynthesis or reduced inorganic compounds B. Combine chemolithoautotrophic and heterotrophic metabolic processes C. Depend on a mixture of amino acids and carbohydrates for energy and carbon D. Are typically autotrophic and barophyllic

19. Which of the following is not considered a macronutrient? A. Carbon (C) B. Calcium (Ca) C. Potassium (K) D. Cobalt (Co)

Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

20. Which of the following is not considered a micronutrient? A. Manganese (Mn) B. Magnesium (Mg) C. Zinc (Zn) D. Copper (Cu)

21. Media containing some ingredients of unknown chemical composition are called __________ media. A. Undefined B. Complex C. Defined D. Synthetic

22. For surface cultivation of microorganisms, a sulfated polysaccharide called agar can be extracted from __________ and added to liquid media in order to cause it to gel. A. Bacteria B. Animal fat C. Algae D. Fungi

23. Agar is an excellent gelling agent for microbiological media because A. It is not degraded by most microorganisms B. Solid agar remains solid until the temperature is raised to 100C, and liquid agar remains liquid if the temperature is lowered to 45C C. It is not degraded by most microorganisms and solid agar remains solid until the temperature is raised to 100C, and liquid agar remains liquid if the temperature is lowered to 45C are correct D. Agar provides an excellent source of nutrition for a variety of different microorganisms

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24. A growth medium that favors the growth of some microorganisms but inhibits the growth of other microorganisms is a __________ medium. A. Selective B. Differential C. Selective and differential D. Neither selective nor differential

25. A growth medium that distinguishes among different groups of bacteria on the basis of their biological characteristics is called a __________ medium. A. Selective B. Differential C. Enrichment D. Transport

26. Mannitol salt agar (MSA) only allows the growth of halophiles; nonhalophiles will not grow. Among the halophiles, mannitol fermenters will produce acid that turns the pH indicator yellow; mannitol nonfermenters leave the medium red. Onto MSA you inoculate a halophilic mannitol fermenter and a halophilic mannitol nonfermenter. In this case, the medium is acting as (a) __________ medium(s). A. Selective B. Differential C. Selective and differential D. Enrichment

27. Mannitol salt agar (MSA) only allows the growth of halophiles. Among the halophiles, mannitol fermenters release acid that turns the pH indicator yellow; mannitol nonfermenters leave the medium red. Onto MSA you inoculate a halophilic mannitol nonfermenter and a nonhalophilic mannitol nonfermenter. Here the medium acts as a __________ medium. A. Selective B. Differential C. Selective and differential D. Enrichment

Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

28. Mannitol salt agar (MSA) only allows the growth of halophiles. Among the halophiles, mannitol fermenters release acid that turns the pH indicator yellow; mannitol nonfermenters leave the medium red. Onto MSA you inoculate a halophilic mannitol fermenter, a nonhalophilic mannitol fermenter, and a halophilic mannitol nonfermenter. Thus, the medium is acting as a __________ medium. A. Selective B. Differential C. Selective and differential D. Neither selective nor differential

29. Minimal salts agar containing glucose supports the growth of wild-type E. Coli. You inoculate a plate containing this medium with a culture of E. Coli that was previously grown on nutrient agar. The medium is acting as a __________ medium. A. Selective B. Differential C. Selective and differential D. Neither selective nor differential

30. Which of the following processes can be used to bring nutrients into a cell against a concentration gradient? A. Active transport B. Facilitated diffusion C. Passive diffusion D. Active transport and facilitated diffusion

31. Media in which all components and their concentration are known are called __________ media. A. Transport B. Defined C. Selective D. Enrichment

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32. Which of the following can be used to isolate pure cultures of bacteria from mixtures? A. Spread plates B. Streak plates C. Pour plates D. All of the choices

33. Which of the following features is most likely to be associated with a lithotroph? A. Contains chlorophyll B. Oxidization of an inorganic substrate C. Ferments carbohydrates D. Luminescence

34. You would like to culture a bacterium that is growing in the lung of a human patient with pneumonia. Which medium might this organism have the highest probability of growing on? A. Transport media B. Sabourad dextrose medium C. M9 chemically defined medium D. Complex medium supplemented with whole blood E. None of the choices

35. All fastidious microorganisms require which of the following for growth? A. Oxygen B. Temperatures near normal for the human body C. Extra nutrients (such as yeast extract) D. Iron

36. Which of the following best describe a possible energy source for a chemoorganotroph. A. Glucose B. Carbon dioxide C. Oxidized metals D. Light E. None of the choices

Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

True / False Questions 37. The trace amounts of micronutrients needed by microorganisms are usually supplied as inadvertent contaminants in water and regular media components. TRUE

38. The extreme insolubility of ferric iron leaves little free iron available for transport into bacterial cells. TRUE

39. The size and shape of a colony is not useful for identification of a microorganism because most microorganisms produce colonies that are indistinguishable from one another. FALSE

40. Permease proteins that aid in the transport of nutrients resemble enzymes in their specificity for the substance to be transported. Each carrier is selective and will transport only a closely related set of substances. TRUE

41. A given medium can be either selective or differential but not both. FALSE

42. Different transport systems for the same nutrient that are part of the same organism are usually regulated in different ways. TRUE

43. Zinc (Zn) is considered a macronutrient. FALSE

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44. Copper (Cu) is considered a micronutrient. TRUE

45. Nitrogen can be obtained from either organic or inorganic sources. TRUE

46. Phosphorus can be obtained from organic sources only. FALSE

47. Sulfur can be obtained from inorganic sources only. FALSE

48. Organisms usually have only a single transport system for any nutrient. FALSE

49. Blood agar is both a differential and enriched medium. TRUE

50. Although a particular microbial species usually belongs in only one of the four major nutritional classes, some show great metabolic flexibility and alter their metabolic patterns in response to environmental changes. TRUE

Chapter 05 - Microbial Nutrition

Fill in the Blank Questions 51. __________ __________ are required organic compounds because they are essential cell components or precursors of such components that cannot be synthesized by the organism. Growth factors

52. Small organic molecules called ______________ function as coenzymes or as components of coenzymes. vitamins

53. __________ are carrier proteins embedded in the membrane that increase the rate of diffusion of specific molecules across selectively permeable membranes. Permeases

54. Transport of two different substances can be linked. If the transport is in the same direction it is called __________; if the transport is in opposite directions it is called __________. symport, antiport

55. Macroscopically visible growths or clusters of microorganisms on solid media are called __________. colonies

56. Colonies grow most rapidly at the __________ where oxygen and nutrients are readily available; however, they grow less rapidly at the __________ where these materials have been depleted. edge, center

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57. Many bacteria facilitate the uptake of iron by secreting low molecular weight molecules, called ___________, to form complexes with the iron that can then be readily transported into the cell. siderophores

58. Organisms that use inorganic compounds as a source of energy and organic compounds as a source of carbon are called __________ organisms. mixotrophic

59. Growth media that will support the growth of many different types of microorganisms are called __________ __________ growth media, whereas those that are supplemented by blood or other rich nutrient sources in order to support the growth of fastidious organisms are called __________ media. general purpose, enriched