microbiology chapter 11 test bank

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium is the likely causative agent because it is known to cause severe diarrhea, and it is characterized by its motile, comma-shaped Gram-negative rods. Vibrio cholerae produces cholera toxin, leading to profuse watery diarrhea. Shigella dysenteriae causes dysentery with bloody diarrhea, Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever, and Escherichia coli can cause various types of diarrhea but typically does not have a comma shape.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for the transfer of genetic material, typically through a pilus. This process is well-documented in bacterial genetics. Transformation (A) involves uptake of free DNA from the environment. Transduction (B) is genetic transfer by a viral vector. Replication (C) is the process of producing identical copies of DNA or RNA. Therefore, the correct answer is D (conjugation) as it specifically refers to the one-way transfer of genetic material through direct cell-to-cell contact.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Rickettsia. Rickettsia is a host-dependent bacterium because it requires living cells of a host organism to survive and replicate. This bacterium is an obligate intracellular pathogen, meaning it cannot grow outside of a host cell. A: Mycoplasma and B: Ureaplasma are not host-dependent as they can grow and reproduce in cell-free environments due to possessing their own unique cell wall structures. D: Micrococcus is a free-living bacterium that can survive and reproduce independently without relying on a host organism.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Entamoeba histolytica. This is because it is the only choice that matches the description of cysts with four nuclei, characteristic of Entamoeba histolytica. Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite that causes amoebiasis, leading to symptoms like persistent diarrhea. The other choices can be eliminated for the following reasons: B: Balantidium coli - It is a ciliated protozoan that causes dysentery in humans but does not produce cysts with four nuclei. C: Giardia lamblia - It is a flagellated protozoan that causes giardiasis, but it forms cysts with only two nuclei. D: Trichomonas hominis - It is a flagellated protozoan found in the human intestine, but it does not produce cysts with four nuclei. Therefore, based on the description of cysts with four nuclei in the stool sample,

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Β-lactamase. In ELISA, enzymes like alkaline phosphatase, horseradish peroxidase, and Β-galactosidase are commonly used as labels to detect the presence of specific molecules. Β-lactamase is not typically used in ELISA as it is an enzyme used to hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics. Therefore, it does not serve the purpose of detecting specific molecules in ELISA. Alkaline phosphatase, horseradish peroxidase, and Β-galactosidase are preferred enzymes in ELISA due to their ability to produce a detectable signal when bound to specific molecules.