Question 1

Which of the following statements best explains why viruses are considered acellular and not classified as living organisms?

Accepted Answer

They cannot carry out metabolism or reproduce independently outside a host cell.

Question 2

A patient is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Which unique feature of the causative agent's cell wall makes it resistant to many disinfectants and difficult to treat?

Accepted Answer

High concentration of mycolic acid

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the function of the O antigen in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria?

Accepted Answer

It provides antigenic variability, helping bacteria evade the immune system.

Question 4

A scientist isolates a microorganism that is unicellular, lacks a nucleus, and has a cell wall containing peptidoglycan. Which domain does this organism belong to?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria

Question 5

Which of the following is a correct application of Koch’s postulates in establishing a causative relationship between a microbe and a disease?

Accepted Answer

The microbe must be isolated from a diseased host and grown in pure culture.

Question 6

Which of the following best explains why Gram-negative bacteria are generally more resistant to antibiotics than Gram-positive bacteria?

Accepted Answer

They possess an outer membrane that acts as a permeability barrier.

Question 7

A researcher observes a cell with the following features: linear DNA, 80S ribosomes, and membrane-bound organelles. Which type of cell is being observed?

Accepted Answer

Eukaryotic cell

Question 8

Which of the following processes is unique to prokaryotes and involves the chemical modification of a substance as it is transported into the cell?

Accepted Answer

Group translocation

Question 9

A hospital patient develops a persistent infection on a catheter. Which microbial feature most likely contributes to the persistence and antibiotic resistance of this infection?

Accepted Answer

Biofilm formation via quorum sensing

Question 10

Which of the following best distinguishes a proto-oncogene from an oncogene?

Accepted Answer

A proto-oncogene regulates normal cell growth, while an oncogene is a mutated or overexpressed gene that drives uncontrolled cell division.

Question 11

Which of the following is a key difference between the lytic and lysogenic cycles of bacteriophage replication?

Accepted Answer

The lytic cycle leads to rapid production of new viruses and host cell death, while the lysogenic cycle allows the viral genome to persist in the host without immediate destruction.

Question 12

A scientist is studying a microbe that lacks a cell wall, is the smallest free-living organism, and is resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. Which group does this organism most likely belong to?

Accepted Answer

Mycoplasmas

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis in eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

It is a highly specific process that uses cell surface receptors to internalize target molecules.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about prions is correct?

Accepted Answer

Prions cause disease by inducing misfolding of normal proteins in the host.

Question 15

A Gram stain is performed on a bacterial sample. The cells appear pink under the microscope. Which of the following best explains this result?

Accepted Answer

The bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane, causing them to lose the crystal violet and take up the counterstain.

Question 16

Which of the following is a correct statement about the difference between endocytosis and exocytosis in eukaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

Both processes require ATP and involve vesicles, but endocytosis brings materials into the cell and exocytosis releases materials out of the cell.

Question 17

A patient is diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm. Which of the following features would you expect to observe in the tumor cells?

Accepted Answer

Rapid growth, invasion of surrounding tissues, and potential to metastasize

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the main function of bacterial endospores?

Accepted Answer

They enable bacteria to survive extreme environmental conditions such as heat, radiation, and desiccation.

Question 19

A virus is classified as a retrovirus. Which enzyme is essential for its replication, and what is its function?

Accepted Answer

Reverse transcriptase; synthesizes DNA from an RNA template

Question 20

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the concept of biogenesis as supported by Pasteur’s swan-neck flask experiment?

Accepted Answer

Microorganisms appear in broth only when exposed to pre-existing microbes from the air.

Comprehensive Study Guide: Microbiology Chapters 1, 3, 4, and 6

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards