1. Introduction to Microbiology

Which of the following represents the correct way to format the scientific name of an organism?

In biology, what are strains of a species?

Which of the following is a scientific name?

a. Mycobacterium tuberculosis

b. Tubercle bacillus

Which of the following is false about scientific nomenclature?

a. Each name is specific.

b. Names vary with geographical location.

c. The names are standardized.

d. Each name consists of a genus and specific epithet.

e. It was first designed by Linnaeus.

You could identify an unknown bacterium by all of the following except

a. hybridizing a DNA probe from a known bacterium with the unknown’s DNA.

b. making a fatty acid profile of the unknown.

c. specific antiserum agglutinating the unknown.

d. ribosomal RNA sequencing.

e. percentage of guanine + cytosine.

The wall-less mycoplasmas are considered to be related to gram-positive bacteria. Which of the following would provide the most compelling evidence for this?

a. They share common rRNA sequences.

b. Some gram-positive bacteria and some mycoplasmas produce catalase.

c. Both groups are prokaryotic.

d. Some gram-positive bacteria and some mycoplasmas have coccus-shaped cells.

e. Both groups contain human pathogens.

In the binomial system of nomenclature, which term is always written in lowercase letters?

a. Kingdom

b. Domain

c. Genus

d. Specific epithet

Give three characteristics of a “specific epithet.”