Question 1

The pink coloration of Utah’s Great Salt Lake is primarily due to which of the following adaptations of prokaryotes?

Accepted Answer

The growth of extremophilic archaea and bacteria that produce carotenoid pigments in high-salt environments.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the main structural difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer, while Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane.

Question 3

A scientist isolates a prokaryote from a hot spring with a temperature of 90°C. Which group is this organism most likely to belong to?

Accepted Answer

Extreme thermophiles

Question 4

Which of the following statements about prokaryotic genetic diversity is correct?

Accepted Answer

Rapid reproduction, mutation, and genetic recombination all contribute to high genetic diversity in prokaryotes.

Question 5

Which structure allows prokaryotes to adhere to surfaces and each other, forming colonies?

Accepted Answer

Fimbriae

Question 6

A bacterium is found to survive only in the absence of oxygen and dies when exposed to it. Which term best describes this organism?

Accepted Answer

Obligate anaerobe

Question 7

Which of the following is a correct description of nitrogen fixation?

Accepted Answer

Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen ($$N_2) to $$ammonia ($$NH_3)$$

Question 8

Which of the following best explains why antibiotic resistance spreads rapidly in bacterial populations?

Accepted Answer

R plasmids carrying resistance genes can be transferred between bacteria through conjugation.

Question 9

Which of the following metabolic categories describes an organism that uses light for energy and $$CO_2 as a $$carbon source?

Accepted Answer

Photoautotroph

Question 10

A patient is infected with a bacterium that releases toxins only when the bacterial cells die and their cell walls break down. What type of toxin is this?

Accepted Answer

Endotoxin

Question 11

Which of the following is an example of mutualism involving prokaryotes?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria in the human gut that help digest food and receive nutrients in return

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the role of chemoheterotrophic prokaryotes in ecosystems?

Accepted Answer

They recycle chemical elements by decomposing dead organisms and waste products.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about plasmids is correct?

Accepted Answer

Plasmids are small, circular DNA molecules that can carry antibiotic resistance genes.

Question 14

A researcher observes a bacterium moving toward a glucose source. This behavior is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Chemotaxis

Question 15

Which of the following is true regarding the cell wall composition of archaea?

Accepted Answer

Archaea have cell walls composed of polysaccharides and proteins, but lack peptidoglycan.

Question 16

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates genetic recombination by transduction?

Accepted Answer

A bacteriophage transfers DNA from one bacterium to another.

Question 17

Which of the following bacteria is correctly matched with its ecological or medical significance?

Accepted Answer

Agrobacterium – used in genetic engineering of plants

Question 18

Which of the following best explains why prokaryotes are considered 'masters of adaptation'?

Accepted Answer

They can thrive in extreme environments due to diverse metabolic and structural adaptations.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a function of the bacterial capsule?

Accepted Answer

Carrying out cellular respiration

Question 20

A bacterium with the F factor integrated into its chromosome transfers genes to a recipient cell. What is the likely outcome?

Accepted Answer

The recipient cell becomes a recombinant bacterium with DNA from two different cells.

Bacteria and Archaea: Structure, Function, and Ecological Roles

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