Biology: Chapter: 20 (20.1, 20.2, 20.3)

Emerging Disease

A disease that appears in the population for the first time, or an old disease that suddenly becomes harder to control.

Virus

A particle made of proteins, nucleic acids, and sometime lipids that can replicate only by infecting living cells.

Prophage

Bacteriophage DNA that is embedded in the bacterial host's DNA.

Pathogen

Disease-causing agent.

Antibiotic

Group of drugs used to block the growth and reproduction of bacterial pathogens.

Bacteriophage

Kind of virus that infects bacteria.

Human Use of Prokaryotes

Making food and other commercial products. Digest petroleum and remove human-made waste products and poisons from water. Synthesize drugs and chemicals through the techniques of genetic engineering. Rich source of heat-stable enzymes that can be used in medicine, food products, and industrial chemistry.

Vaccine

Preparation of weakened or killed pathogens used to produce immunity to a disease.

Conjugation

Process in witch paramecia and some prokaryotes exchange genetic information.

Capsid

Protein coat surrounding a virus.

Retrovirus

RNA virus that contains RNA as its genetic information.

Coccus

Spherical prokaryote.

Spirillum

Spiral or corkscrew-shaped prokaryote.

Endospore

Structure produced by prokaryotes in unfavorable conditions; a thick internal wall that encloses the DNA and a portion of the cytoplasm.

Binary Fission

Type of asexual reproduction in witch an organism replicates its DNA and divides in half, producing two identical daughter cells.

Lysogenic Infection

Type of infection in which a virus embeds its DNA int the DNA of the host cell and replicated along with the hosts cell's DNA.

Lytic Infection

Type of infection in which a virus enters a cell, makes copies of itself, and causes the cell to burst.

Prokaryote

Unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus.