Basic microbiology questions and answers pdf

Here are basic microbiology questions and answers pdf

1. What type of microorganism is known to lack a true nucleus?
A) Fungi
B) Viruses
C) Bacteria
D) Protozoa
Answer: C) Bacteria

2. Which staining technique is used to differentiate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria?
A) Acid-fast stain
B) Gram stain
C) Endospore stain
D) Negative stain
Answer: B) Gram stain

3. What structure allows bacteria to move?
A) Pili
B) Capsule
C) Flagella
D) Ribosome
Answer: C) Flagella

4. Which of the following is the primary component of bacterial cell walls in Gram-positive bacteria?
A) Peptidoglycan
B) Lipopolysaccharides
C) Phospholipids
D) Proteins
Answer: A) Peptidoglycan


5. Which microorganism is responsible for causing malaria?
A) Escherichia coli
B) Plasmodium
C) Staphylococcus aureus
D) Candida albicans
Answer: B) Plasmodium

6. Which of the following bacteria is an example of a Gram-negative organism?
A) Staphylococcus aureus
B) Bacillus subtilis
C) Escherichia coli
D) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Answer: C) Escherichia coli

7. Which viral structure is responsible for attachment to a host cell?
A) Nucleic acid
B) Envelope
C) Capsid
D) Spike proteins
Answer: D) Spike proteins

8. Which of the following is a type of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria?
A) Transformation
B) Transcription
C) Translation
D) Mutation
Answer: A) Transformation

9. Which of the following is not a form of sterilization?
A) Autoclaving
B) Filtration
C) Refrigeration
D) Radiation
Answer: C) Refrigeration

10. What is the primary purpose of Koch’s postulates?
A) To identify viruses
B) To develop antibiotics
C) To establish the cause of a disease
D) To stain bacterial cells
Answer: C) To establish the cause of a disease
11. Which of the following bacteria is known for its role in causing tuberculosis?
A) Streptococcus pneumoniae
B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
C) Escherichia coli
D) Clostridium botulinum
Answer: B) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
12. What type of microorganism is yeast?
A) Bacterium
B) Virus
C) Algae
D) Fungus
Answer: D) Fungus

13. Which type of microorganism is studied in parasitology?
A) Bacteria
B) Fungi
C) Protozoa and helminths
D) Viruses
Answer: C) Protozoa and helminths

14. What is the primary function of ribosomes in a bacterial cell?
A) DNA replication
B) Protein synthesis
C) Energy production
D) Motility
Answer: B) Protein synthesis
15. Which chemical is commonly used as a disinfectant in microbiology labs?
A) Ethanol
B) Sodium chloride
C) Glucose
D) Agar
Answer: A) Ethanol

16. Which of the following microorganisms can perform photosynthesis?
A) Fungi
B) Viruses
C) Algae
D) Protozoa
Answer: C) Algae

17. In which phase of bacterial growth does the population size increase rapidly?
A) Lag phase
B) Log (exponential) phase
C) Stationary phase
D) Death phase
Answer: B) Log (exponential) phase

18. Which of the following is an example of a facultative anaerobe?
A) Clostridium botulinum
B) Escherichia coli
C) Mycobacterium leprae
D) Treponema pallidum
Answer: B) Escherichia coli

19. What type of microscopy is typically used to view viruses?
A) Bright-field microscopy
B) Dark-field microscopy
C) Fluorescence microscopy
D) Electron microscopy
Answer: D) Electron microscopy
20. Which structure in bacteria is responsible for antibiotic resistance?
A) Cell wall
B) Flagella
C) Plasmid
D) Nucleoid
Answer: C) Plasmid

21. What is the main difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria?
A) Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer.
B) Gram-negative bacteria are all aerobic.
C) Gram-positive bacteria have an outer membrane.
D) Gram-negative bacteria lack a cell wall.
Answer: A) Gram-positive bacteria have a thick peptidoglycan layer.

22. Which of the following microorganisms can survive in extreme environments, such as hot springs or salt lakes?
A) Bacteria
B) Archaea
C) Protozoa
D) Algae
Answer: B) Archaea

23. What is the primary purpose of an autoclave in microbiology?
A) To measure bacterial growth
B) To sterilize equipment and media
C) To incubate cultures
D) To stain bacterial cells
Answer: B) To sterilize equipment and media

24. Which microorganism is responsible for causing syphilis?
A) Treponema pallidum
B) Neisseria gonorrhoeae
C) Bacillus anthracis
D) Vibrio cholerae
Answer: A) Treponema pallidum

25. What is the most common method for isolating bacteria from a mixed culture?
A) Spread plate method
B) Pour plate method
C) Streak plate method
D) Filtration
Answer: C) Streak plate method

26. Which component is found in the cell wall of fungi but not in bacteria?
A) Peptidoglycan
B) Cellulose
C) Chitin
D) Lipopolysaccharides
Answer: C) Chitin

27. What is the name of the enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide in bacteria?
A) Catalase
B) Amylase
C) Lipase
D) Protease
Answer: A) Catalase

28. Which of the following organisms is a common cause of food poisoning due to improperly cooked poultry?
A) Escherichia coli
B) Salmonella enterica
C) Clostridium perfringens
D) Staphylococcus aureus
Answer: B) Salmonella enterica

29. What is the term for the transfer of DNA between bacteria through direct contact?
A) Transformation
B) Conjugation
C) Transduction
D) Transcription
Answer: B) Conjugation

30. Which type of virus uses reverse transcriptase to replicate its genome?
A) Adenovirus
B) Retrovirus
C) Papillomavirus
D) Orthomyxovirus
Answer: B) Retrovirus

31. Which staining technique is used to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
A) Gram stain
B) Acid-fast stain
C) Endospore stain
D) Negative stain
Answer: B) Acid-fast stain

32. What is the primary mode of reproduction for bacteria?
A) Binary fission
B) Mitosis
C) Meiosis
D) Budding
Answer: A) Binary fission
33. What is the oxygen requirement for obligate anaerobes?
A) Require oxygen
B) Can survive with or without oxygen
C) Require carbon dioxide
D) Cannot survive in the presence of oxygen
Answer: D) Cannot survive in the presence of oxygen

34. Which of the following microorganisms is classified as a eukaryote?
A) Bacteria
B) Virus
C) Yeast
D) Archaea
Answer: C) Yeast

35. What is the role of the capsule in some bacteria?
A) Provides motility
B) Protects from phagocytosis
C) Aids in reproduction
D) Helps in DNA replication
Answer: B) Protects from phagocytosis

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