Question | Answer |
virus | a structure that contains strands of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protective protein coat; it cannot live independently outside of cells |
capsid | the outer protein layer that surrounds the genetic material of a virus |
replication | the fundamental process of all cells, in which the genetic material is copied before the cell reproduces |
lytic cycle | the replication process in viruses in which the virus’s genetic material uses the copying machinery of the host cell to make new viruses |
lysogenic cycle | the replication process in viruses, in which the viral DNA enters the host cell’s chromosome; it may remain dormant and later activate and instruct the host cell to produce more viruses |
prion | an infectious particle that causes damage to nerve cells in the brain, and that appears to consist mostly or entirely of a single protein |
bacterium (plural bacteria) | an individual prokaryotic cell or a single species that is in the domain Bacteria |
archaeon (plural archaea) | an individual prokaryotic cell or a single species that is in the domain Archaea |
coccus (plural cocci) | a micro-organism whose overall morphology is spherical or nearly so |
bacillus (plural bacilli) | a micro-organism whose overall morphology is rod-shaped |
methanogenesis | a biological (or chemical) process that produces methane as an by-product |
extremophile | an organism that lives in habitats characterized by extreme conditions |
mesophile | an organism that lives in habitats characterized by moderate conditions |
binary fission | the asexual form of reproduction used by most prokaryotes (and some eukaryotic organelles), in which a cell divides into two genetically identical cells (or organelles) |
conjugation | a process in which there is a transfer of genetic material involving two cells |
endospore | a dormant bacterial cell able to survive for long periods during extreme conditions |
Gram stain | a stain that separates bacteria into two major divisions (Gram positive and Gram negative) based on the cell wall’s response to the stain |
endosymbiosis | theory that explains how eukaryotic cells evolved from the symbiotic relationship between two or more prokaryotic cells |
endosymbiont | a cell that is engulfed by another cell in endosymbiosis |
host cell | a cell that engulfs another cell in endosymbiosis |
protist | a eukaryotic organism, usually unicellular, that is not a fungus, plant, or animal |
parasite | an organism that benefits by living in or on another organism at the expense of that organism |
pseudopod (plural pseudopodia) | a temporary cytoplasmic extension that amoebas use for feeding and movement |
cilium (plural cilia) | a short, hair-like projection that functions in cell movement and particle manipulation when coordinated with other cilia |
flagellum (plural flagella) | a long, hair-like projection extending from the cell membrane that propels the cell using a whip-like motion |
red tide | a coastal phenomenon in which dinoflagellates that contain red pigments are so concentrated that the seawater has a distinct red colour |