Microbe Mission B/C

[Alex-RCHS]

Welcome to the Question Marathon for Microbe Mission in 2018!
Short Description: Teams will answer questions, solve problems, and analyze data pertaining to microbes.

Etiquette reminder! When answering a question, either hide your answer or use the "spoiler" function.

First Question:
1. Are antibiotics more effective on gram positive or gram negative bacteria? Why?

[whythelongface]

Gram-positive: the peptidoglycan layer in G- bacteria that resists staining also works against antibiotics entering the cell.

[Alex-RCHS]

Gram-positive: the peptidoglycan layer in G- bacteria that resists staining also works against antibiotics entering the cell.

Not quite (Click to Show Hidden Text)

It is gram positive, but it's actually because the outer membrane present on gram negative bacteria prevents the antibiotics from entering the cell.

Your turn.

[whythelongface]

When naming strains of influenza, what do H and N stand for, and why are H and N integral to the viral cycle?

[The48thYoshi]

When naming strains of influenza, what do H and N stand for, and why are H and N integral to the viral cycle?

Excited for season to start again! (Click to Show Hidden Text)

H stands for Hemagglutinin and N for neuraminidase. They are proteins on the surface of  the virus and help with attachment

[whythelongface]

When naming strains of influenza, what do H and N stand for, and why are H and N integral to the viral cycle?

Excited for season to start again! (Click to Show Hidden Text)

H stands for Hemagglutinin and N for neuraminidase. They are proteins on the surface of  the virus and help with attachment

Correct! Specifically, hemagglutinin aids in attachment and neuraminidase in separation from the host cell. Your turn!

[The48thYoshi]

A. What are magnetosomes?
B. What kind of organisms have these organelles?
C. What is their function?

[Alex-RCHS]

A. What are magnetosomes?
B. What kind of organisms have these organelles?
C. What is their function?

I only briefly read this a long time ago, but here goes nothing:

Answer? (Click to Show Hidden Text)

A. A type of plastid (multi-membraned organelle resulting from endosymbiosis) that can detect magnetic fields.
B. This is where I'm not sure. Bacteria, I think. Is it a type of bacteria that metabolically certain metals?
C. They detect magnetic fields and allow the cells that contain them to orient around these magnetic fields in search of some sort of nutrient.

[The48thYoshi]

A. What are magnetosomes?
B. What kind of organisms have these organelles?
C. What is their function?

I only briefly read this a long time ago, but here goes nothing:

Answer? (Click to Show Hidden Text)

A. A type of plastid (multi-membraned organelle resulting from endosymbiosis) that can detect magnetic fields.
B. This is where I'm not sure. Bacteria, I think. Is it a type of bacteria that metabolically certain metals?
C. They detect magnetic fields and allow the cells that contain them to orient around these magnetic fields in search of some sort of nutrient.

Good Try! I was looking for (Click to Show Hidden Text)

A. Plastids are only found in eukaryotic organisms. Magnetosomes are just a group of magnetite crystals. (I'm pretty sure this is right, correct me if I'm wrong.
B. correct. They are magnetotactic bacteria.
C. Correct. They help the magnetotactic bacteria orient along the Earth's magnetic field lines in magnetotaxis. They help the bacteria find an ideal microaerophilic environment

Your turn!

[Alex-RCHS]

Chloroplasts are widely known to facilitate photosynethesis in plants. Name two other distinct functions that chloroplasts perform.