microbiology chapter 12 test bank

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium causes food poisoning by producing enterotoxins that lead to symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Staphylococcus aureus can survive in various food items and multiply rapidly, producing toxins that are heat-stable. Clostridium botulinum causes botulism due to neurotoxins, not enterotoxins. Salmonella enterica causes gastrointestinal infections, not primarily food poisoning. Vibrio cholerae causes cholera by producing a toxin that leads to severe watery diarrhea and dehydration, not enterotoxins like Staphylococcus aureus.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: mutualism. In mutualism, both organisms benefit from the relationship. This is because they provide each other with resources or services that help both parties. In contrast, commensalism (A) is a relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Parasitism (C) is a relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of the other. Competition (D) is a relationship where both organisms are negatively affected as they compete for limited resources. Therefore, mutualism is the correct answer as it describes a mutually beneficial relationship between two organisms.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: peroxisomes. Peroxisomes contain oxidative enzymes, such as catalase and peroxidase, that are capable of oxidizing toxic substances. These enzymes help detoxify harmful molecules by breaking them down into harmless products. Lysosomes (choices B and C) contain hydrolytic enzymes for breaking down cellular waste, not oxidative enzymes. Therefore, the correct choice is peroxisomes due to their specific function in detoxification through oxidation reactions.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because all the options are essential for a PCR reaction. A: DNA segment is required as the template for amplification. B: Two oligonucleotide primers are needed to initiate DNA replication. C: Heat stable DNA polymerase (not just heat stable DNA) is crucial for withstanding the high temperatures during PCR. In summary, without any of these components, the PCR reaction cannot proceed effectively.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In anaphase, sister chromatids separate and move towards opposite poles of the cell. This is facilitated by the shortening of microtubules attached to the centromeres. Prophase is the phase where chromosomes condense and the nuclear envelope breaks down. Metaphase is when chromosomes align at the metaphase plate. Telophase is when the nuclear envelope reforms and chromosomes decondense. Therefore, anaphase is the correct phase for chromatid separation.