lOMoARcPSD|23503067

Bacterial Webquest Worksheet

General Microbiology (Grand Canyon University)

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

Downloaded by Johnathan Rivera (jriv2671@jcsnc.org)
 lOMoARcPSD|23503067

Name:_____________________________________________ Date:__________10/5/21_____
Period:_____________

Bacteria Webquest – Learn Your Germs

INTRODUCTION: Think Bacteria and Viruses are the same?
Website #1: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Bacteria_vs_Virus
Complete the following table comparing viruses and bacteria:
Characteristic Bacterium Virus
Does it have a nucleus? No nucleus No Nucleus

the virus attaches to the host

How does it reproduce?
Can it cause disease?
What is its structure?
Living or non-living?
Size?
Beneficial?
Can it be treated with
antibiotics?
Binary fission
cell and injects its DNA
Yes, they are responsible for
Yes, they are responsible for
illnesses such as anthrax and
the common cold, and the flu
tuberculosis
Prokaryotes, DNA and
RNA floating freely in DNA or RNA enclosed inside a
cytoplasm. Has cell wall and cell coat of protein.
membrane.
It is a debate whether they are
living or just structures that
Living organism
interact with other living
organisms
1000nm larger 20-400nm Smaller
No, but some can be used to
Some can be, such as the ones
advance medicine and
that live in our gut
knowledge
yes No

Website 2: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/index.html (Use the Relative Size and Detection Chart at the top of the
page!)
1. Can bacteria or viruses be seen with the naked eye?

No, both virus and bacteria require use of special equipment.

2. Can bacteria be viewed with a light microscope?

No a virus can not be seen with a light microscope, it is too small.

3. Which kind of microscope is needed to view virus? Why?

An electron microscope is required, a virus is far too small for other methods of viewing.

Bacteria Basics
Website 3: http://microbiologyonline.org/about-microbiology/introducing-microbes/bacteria

4. Bacterial Shapes: sketch and describe these bacteria shapes

a. Cocci- Spherical shape

Downloaded by Johnathan Rivera (jriv2671@jcsnc.org)

 lOMoARcPSD|23503067

b. Bacilli- Rod shaped

c. Spirilla Spiral shaped, coiled

5. Describe how bacteria reproduce.

Bacteria reproduces by binary fission, the parent cell splits into two identical daughter cells.

Archaea
When these microscopic organisms were first discovered (in 1977), they were considered bacteria. However, when
their ribosomal RNA was sequenced, it became obvious that they bore no close relationship to the bacteria and were, in
fact, more closely related to the eukaryotes (including ourselves!) For a time they were referred to as archaebacteria, but
now to emphasize their distinctness, we call them Archaea. They have also been called Extremophiles in recognition of
the extreme environments in which they have been found

Website 4: http://www.biology-pages.info/A/Archaea.html
6. When did scientists realize that Archaea are different from bacteria?

Late 1970s

7. Which of the two kingdoms of bacteria are more similar to humans?

Archaebacteria and eubacteria

8. Types of Archaea: read this section and complete the chart below. Place check marks in the
appropriate boxes.
Methanogen Halophil Thermoacidophil
s e e
Prefers high salt conditions X
Prefers high temperatures X
Prefers acidic environments X
lives in swamps, marshes, cattle rumen and X
OUR intestines
lives in the Great Salt Lake and The Dead Sea X
live in the hot springs of Yellowstone National X
Park and in the undersea vents

Bacteria Structure
Website 6: http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/bactcell.htm
Label the parts of the bacterium: flagella, pili, nucleoid (DNA), ribosomes, cell membrane, cell wall, capsule

Downloaded by Johnathan Rivera (jriv2671@jcsnc.org)

 lOMoARcPSD|23503067

Nucleoid
Capsule

Cell wall

Cell membrane
Ribosome

Pili

Flagella

Genetic Recombination:
Website 7: http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/9834092339/student_view0/chapter28/bacterial_conjugation_-_transfer_of_a_plasmid.html

9. During conjugation, what is transferred from one bacteria to the next?

Genetic material

10. What is the role of the pilus in this process?

They trigger the formation of the mating bridge

11. What is the purpose of conjugation?

one bacterium transfers genetic material to another through direct contact

Website 8: http://academic.pgcc.edu/~kroberts/Lecture/Chapter%207/horizontal.html
Scroll down to the TRANSDUCTION section.
12. How is transduction different from conjugation? (I.e. what is involved with the genetic exchange?)
In transduction, donor DNA packaged in a bacteriophage infects the recipient bacterium. In

conjugation, the donor bacterium transfers DNA to the recipient by mating

13. Using the Table 7.6 at the top of the page, what is the source of the DNA (Requirements) in the
process of transduction?

Bacteria Metabolism:
Website 9: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacterialh.html
14. What are pathogenic bacteria? Bacteria that can cause disease

15. What do aerobic bacteria require? Oxygen

Downloaded by Johnathan Rivera (jriv2671@jcsnc.org)

 lOMoARcPSD|23503067

16. Where do anaerobic bacteria live and what can they cause?

Where there is no oxygen like the GI tract, they can cause infection and disease

17. How do facultative anaerobic bacteria differ from the other two?

they can survive and metabolism either with or without oxygen

18. What is decomposition and how do bacteria play a role in the environment?

break apart dead organisms into simpler inorganic materials, making nutrients available to primary

producers

19. What is nitrogen fixation and why are bacteria crucial to this cycle of life?

bacteria is present in the soil that organisms convert the nitrogen to ammonia which the plants can use

and take.

Website 10: http://www.micro.cornell.edu/cals/micro/research/labs/angert-lab/bacterialendo.cfm

20. Why do certain bacteria become endospores?

a lack of nutrients, and usually occurs in gram-positive bacteria

21. What kinds of conditions can they survive?

can survive without nutrients. They are resistant to ultraviolet radiation, desiccation, high temperature,
extreme freezing and chemical disinfectants.

Downloaded by Johnathan Rivera (jriv2671@jcsnc.org)