Mic 361 - Review of Background Material

A.1. Differences between host cells and microbial cells

Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic - importance in interactions, drug targets etc.

Typical bacterial cells: Figure 1, Figure 2

Viruses and virus structure

2. Microbial cell surface - what the host "sees" during infection

typical vs. specialized structures: capsule, flagella, pili: Figure 3, Figure 4

3. Cell wall

Gram positive and gram negative: Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11

4. Relative size and complexity

Importance - surface/volume ratio: Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14

5. Compartmentalization - prokaryotic cells are less organized

6. Review macromolecular syntheses: Figure 15

B. Techniques

Microscopy: importance of observation

Staining: Gram +, Gram -, Acid Fast: Figure 16

Pure culture

Growth: measure density, cfu, for slow growers can measure metabolic products: Figure 17

C. Genetics

Phenotype vs. Genotype

Mobile genetic elements: phages, transposons, plasmids

D. Host immune response

Non-specific immunity

Humoral immunity

Cell-mediated immunity

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