Question 1

Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes between the domains Bacteria and Archaea?

Accepted Answer

Bacteria have linear fatty acids in their plasma membranes, while Archaea have long-branched fatty acids.

Question 2

Why do prokaryotic cells tend to be small in size?

Accepted Answer

Because most nutrients are obtained through diffusion, which is limited by the surface area-to-volume ratio.

Question 3

A bacterium is described as pleomorphic. What does this mean, and how might it impact its ability to cause infection?

Accepted Answer

It can assume multiple shapes, which may help it evade the immune system and adapt to different environments.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the process of binary fission in prokaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

DNA is copied, the cell grows, chromosomes are separated, a septum forms, and two daughter cells are produced.

Question 5

Which arrangement would you expect to find in a Gram-positive, nonmotile, encapsulated Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from a throat culture?

Accepted Answer

Streptococci

Question 6

Which of the following is a key difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell walls?

Accepted Answer

Gram-positive cell walls contain teichoic acids and have a thick peptidoglycan layer.

Question 7

A patient is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Which staining technique would be most informative for diagnosis, and why?

Accepted Answer

Acid-fast stain, because Mycobacterium has a waxy cell wall containing mycolic acid.

Question 8

Which of the following best explains why Gram-negative bacteria are typically harder to kill with chemical agents than Gram-positive bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane that acts as a selective barrier.

Question 9

Which of the following is true regarding osmosis in bacterial cells?

Accepted Answer

In a hypertonic solution, bacterial cells lose water and may undergo plasmolysis.

Question 10

Which of the following transport mechanisms requires energy and can move substances against their concentration gradient?

Accepted Answer

Active transport

Question 11

Which equation best represents the relationship between surface area ($A$) and volume ($V$) for a spherical prokaryotic cell, and why is this relationship important?

Accepted Answer

$A = 4\pi r^2$, $V = \frac{4}{3}\pi r^3$; a higher surface area-to-volume ratio allows efficient nutrient diffusion.

Question 12

Which of the following external structures is primarily responsible for bacterial motility and is built from the protein flagellin?

Accepted Answer

Flagella

Question 13

A bacterium is described as monotrichous. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

It has a single flagellum.

Question 14

Which of the following is a function of the bacterial glycocalyx capsule?

Accepted Answer

It helps bacteria stick to host tissues, protects from desiccation, and offers some protection against antibiotics.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about prokaryotic ribosomes is correct?

Accepted Answer

They are 70S, composed of 50S and 30S subunits.

Question 16

Which of the following is true about endospores?

Accepted Answer

Endospores are metabolically inactive, highly resistant structures produced by certain bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium.

Question 17

Which of the following is a clinically relevant implication of a bacterium being acid-fast?

Accepted Answer

Acid-fast bacteria have a waxy cell wall that slows nutrient and drug entry, requiring multidrug therapies.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the function of inclusion bodies in prokaryotic cells?

Accepted Answer

They are insoluble granules or membranous inclusions used for storage of substances such as enzymes or iron.

Question 19

Which of the following is true regarding Mycoplasma species?

Accepted Answer

They lack a cell wall and have a sterol-enriched plasma membrane.

Introduction to Prokaryotic Cells: Structure, Function, and Clinical Relevance

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