Microbial Control and Microbial Genetics: Understanding the Basics
Control of Microbial Growth
1. What is the difference between sterilization and disinfection? Give two very specific examples for each of how and why one would need to accomplish sterilization and disinfection.
2. Discuss the factors that must be considered when choosing and using a disinfectant.
3. Why are each of the following microbes harder to kill with disinfectants than most microbes: Mycobacterium, Bacillus, Clostridium?
4. For each of the following terms, describe what it is and provide an example of what it is used for: Pasteurization, disinfection, antisepsis, sanitization, sterilization, degerming.
Microbial Genetics
1. Compare the structure and functions of DNA and RNA. Explain the terms mRNA, RNA, tRNA, transcription, translation, codon, anticodon. What are genes made of? What type of molecule do they code for?
2. Explain how DNA molecules govern all the heritable characteristics of an organism if genes encode information only for proteins.
3. Compare and contrast the location of transcription and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
4. Create a DNA strand and diagram the process of transcription and translation. Include a start codon, stop codon, and codes for at least three amino acids. What is the resulting amino acid sequence of the polypeptide chain?
5. What is a mutation? How do mutations affect the resulting protein coded for by a mutated gene?
6. Describe the three major ways DNA can be transferred from one bacterial cell to another in nature.
Biotechnology
9. Using recombinant DNA technology, explain or diagram how you would produce insulin. Include plasmid, restriction endonuclease, ligase, an antibiotic resistance gene, and Escherichia coli.
10. Describe the polymerase chain reaction and discuss how this technique allows scientists to produce numerous copies of DNA rapidly in the laboratory.
11. What is a DNA probe, and when would one be used in microbiology?
12. Explain what a DNA fingerprint is and how and why restriction fragments can be used to form a unique DNA pattern. Provide an example of a situation in microbiology where DNA fingerprinting would be used.
Answers:
Coming soon...
Stay tuned for detailed answers to each of the questions regarding microbial control, microbial genetics, and biotechnology. We will delve into the differences between sterilization and disinfection, the resilience of specific microbes to disinfectants, the structure and functions of DNA and RNA, the processes of transcription and translation, how DNA governs heritable characteristics, and much more. Explore the fascinating world of microbiology and biotechnology with us!