Bacteria
Microscopic single-celled organisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus are classified as what type of cell?
What is a prokaryote?
Viruses are considered non-living because they require a host cell to do this.
What is replicate (or reproduce)?
Both fungi and protists belong to this cellular domain because their cells contain membrane-bound nuclei.
What are eukaryotes?
Transmission of a pathogen via physical touch between an infected individual and a susceptible host is called this.
What is direct contact?
Unlike bacteria or viruses, prions contain none of these genetic molecules.
What is DNA or RNA (or nucleic acids)?
Bacteria reproduce rapidly through this asexual process, splitting into two identical daughter cells.
What is binary fission?
The outer protein shell that encapsulates the genetic material (DNA or RNA) of a virus is called this.
What is a capsid?
Fungal cell walls are made of this tough carbohydrate, which is also found in the exoskeletons of insects.
What is chitin?
A living organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that carries and transmits a pathogen from one host to another without being harmed itself.
What is a vector?
Prions are abnormal, infectious forms of this type of biological macromolecule.
What are proteins?
This structural component, made of peptidoglycan, gives bacteria their shape and protects them from osmotic lysis.
What is the cell wall?
Unlike viruses, prions contain no genetic material and consist entirely of misfolded versions of these molecules.
What are proteins?
Plasmodium, the organism responsible for malaria, belongs to this group of eukaryotic microorganisms.
What are protists (or protozoans)?
Pathogens transmitted via coughing or sneezing in tiny moisture droplets travel via this route.
What is droplet (or airborne) transmission?
Prion diseases primarily attack and cause degeneration in this organ system of the body.
What is the central nervous system (or brain)?
Harmful bacteria cause disease by producing these poisonous chemical substances, which can be exotoxins or endotoxins.
What are toxins?
Prions cause neurodegenerative diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by converting normal cellular proteins into this dangerous form.
What is an abnormal / misfolded prion protein (PrPSc)?
Thread-like microscopic structures that make up the main body (mycelium) of a multicellular fungus are called this.
What are hyphae?
Non-living objects like doorknobs or shared needles that can carry infectious pathogens are known by this scientific term.
What are fomites?
Prions cause disease by forcing normal proteins in the host to undergo this structural change.
What is misfolding (or altering their 3D conformation)?
Under unfavorable environmental conditions, some bacteria can form these tough, dormant structures to survive extreme heat or drought.
What are endospores?
This viral life cycle involves integrating the viral genome into the host cell's DNA, where it remains dormant before entering the lytic cycle.
What is the lysogenic cycle?
Many pathogenic protists require two different host species to complete their life cycle: a primary host and this type of host.
What is an intermediate (or secondary) host?
The transmission of a disease from a parent to offspring (e.g., across the placenta or through breast milk) is referred to as this direction of transmission.
What is vertical transmission?
Name the fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by prions that affects cattle and can be transmitted to humans through contaminated meat.
What is Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (or Mad Cow Disease)?