Microbiology and Applied Zoology - Question Bank

1. Which enzyme is crucial for DNA replication and is often targeted by antiviral drugs?
A) RNA polymerase
B) DNA ligase
C) DNA polymerase
D) Reverse transcriptase
2. The term 'emerging infectious disease' refers to:
A) Diseases that have been eradicated globally
B) Diseases that are newly evolving or have recently appeared in a population
C) Diseases that only affect animals
D) Diseases caused by genetic mutations
3. What is the purpose of staining in microscopy?
A) To kill the specimen
B) To increase contrast and visibility of cellular structures
C) To magnify the specimen beyond its natural limits
D) To preserve the specimen indefinitely
4. Which of the following is an example of a zoonotic disease?
A) Common cold
B) Influenza
C) Rabies
D) Measles
5. What is the function of plasmids in bacteria?
A) Essential for basic cell survival and reproduction
B) Small, circular DNA molecules that often carry genes for antibiotic resistance
C) The primary site of energy production
D) The main component of the cell wall
6. What is the general term for diseases caused by fungi?
A) Bacterial infections
B) Viral infections
C) Mycoses
D) Protozoan infections
7. Which application of applied zoology concerns the study and management of bees, particularly for honey production and pollination?
A) Aquaculture
B) Sericulture
C) Ichthyology
D) Apiculture
8. What is the process called when a virus takes over the machinery of a host cell to replicate itself?
A) Exocytosis
B) Endocytosis
C) Replication cycle
D) Lysis
9. Which organism is a single-celled eukaryote known for its use in baking and brewing?
A) Escherichia coli
B) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
C) Staphylococcus aureus
D) Bacillus subtilis
10. What role do nitrogen-fixing bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?
A) They convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3).
B) They convert ammonia back into atmospheric nitrogen.
C) They convert nitrates into nitrites.
D) They break down organic nitrogen compounds into ammonia.
11. Which technique is used to amplify specific segments of DNA?
A) Gel electrophoresis
B) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
C) Centrifugation
D) Spectrophotometry
12. What is the key difference between a virus and a bacterium?
A) Viruses have a cell wall, bacteria do not.
B) Bacteria are always pathogenic, viruses are not.
C) Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites, bacteria can be free-living.
D) Bacteria reproduce by budding, viruses by binary fission.
13. Which applied zoology field focuses on the study and management of birds?
A) Herpetology
B) Ornithology
C) Entomology
D) Mammalogy
14. What is the term for a microorganism that thrives in extremely hot environments?
A) Psychrophile
B) Mesophile
C) Thermophile
D) Hyperthermophile
15. Which disease is transmitted by the bacterium *Yersinia pestis*, carried by fleas on rodents?
A) Typhoid fever
B) Cholera
C) Plague
D) Tuberculosis
16. The study of viruses is called:
A) Mycology
B) Bacteriology
C) Virology
D) Parasitology
17. What is the primary function of antibodies in the immune system?
A) To produce energy
B) To synthesize proteins
C) To neutralize or mark pathogens for destruction
D) To replicate DNA
18. Which of the following is a beneficial role of microorganisms in food production?
A) Causing food spoilage
B) Producing toxins
C) Fermentation for products like yogurt and cheese
D) Contaminating food supplies
19. What is the main component of a bacterial cell wall that provides structural support and protection?
A) Cellulose
B) Chitin
C) Peptidoglycan
D) Lignin
20. The process of using living organisms to remove pollutants from the environment is known as:
A) Bioaccumulation
B) Biomagnification
C) Bioremediation
D) Biodegradation
21. Which type of microscopy is commonly used to view the surface details of a specimen by scanning a beam of electrons across it?
A) Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
B) Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
C) Light Microscope
D) Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
22. What is the term for a virus that infects bacteria?
A) Retrovirus
B) Bacteriophage
C) Oncovirus
D) Lentivirus
23. Which application of applied zoology involves the study and management of fish populations for commercial or recreational purposes?
A) Apiculture
B) Sericulture
C) Aquaculture
D) Ichthyology
24. What is the purpose of a selective medium in microbiology?
A) To allow all types of bacteria to grow
B) To inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria while allowing desired ones to grow
C) To identify the exact number of bacteria in a sample
D) To observe the morphology of bacterial colonies
25. Which of the following diseases is caused by a prion?
A) Influenza
B) Tuberculosis
C) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
D) Malaria
26. What is an example of bioremediation?
A) Using antibiotics to kill bacteria
B) Using microorganisms to clean up oil spills
C) Developing new vaccines
D) Genetically modifying crops for higher yield
27. Which component of a Gram stain procedure is used to differentiate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria?
A) Crystal violet
B) Gram's iodine
C) Decolorizer (e.g., alcohol)
D) Safranin
28. The study of protozoa is called:
A) Nematology
B) Protozoology
C) Arachnology
D) Malacology
29. What is biopesticide?
A) A chemical pesticide synthesized in a lab
B) A pesticide derived from natural materials like animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals
C) A method of pest control using traps
D) A biological agent that sterilizes pests
30. Which term describes microorganisms that can live and grow in environments with high salt concentrations?
A) Psychrophiles
B) Thermophiles
C) Halophiles
D) Acidophiles
31. The process by which a bacterial cell divides into two identical daughter cells is called:
A) Mitosis
B) Meiosis
C) Binary fission
D) Budding
32. What is the function of an autoclave in a microbiology lab?
A) To cultivate bacteria
B) To observe microscopic organisms
C) To sterilize equipment and media using steam under pressure
D) To measure bacterial growth rates
33. Which of the following is a common vector for transmitting diseases like malaria and dengue fever?
A) Tick
B) Mosquito
C) Flea
D) Louse
34. What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
A) Producing oxygen
B) Converting inorganic matter to organic matter
C) Breaking down dead organic material
D) Consuming primary producers
35. The study of fungi is known as:
A) Virology
B) Bacteriology
C) Mycology
D) Parasitology
36. Which type of vaccine uses a whole, but weakened, pathogen?
A) Subunit vaccine
B) Live-attenuated vaccine
C) Toxoid vaccine
D) mRNA vaccine
37. What is lyophilization, a common technique used in microbiology?
A) Heat sterilization
B) Freeze-drying
C) Radiation sterilization
D) Chemical disinfection
38. Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between fungi and:
A) Bacteria
B) Algae
C) Plant roots
D) Insects
39. Which field of applied zoology deals with the study and control of insects that affect human health and agriculture?
A) Ichthyology
B) Herpetology
C) Entomology
D) Ornithology
40. What is the significance of the enzyme 'reverse transcriptase' in virology?
A) It degrades viral RNA
B) It synthesizes DNA from an RNA template
C) It promotes viral entry into host cells
D) It assembles new viral particles
41. Which of the following is a type of symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit?
A) Parasitism
B) Commensalism
C) Mutualism
D) Predation
42. What is the primary target of the antibiotic penicillin?
A) Cell membrane
B) Ribosomes
C) Cell wall synthesis
D) DNA replication
43. The process of introducing a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen to stimulate an immune response is called:
A) Antibiosis
B) Immunization
C) Chemotherapy
D) Prophylaxis
44. Which organism is a well-known example of a prokaryote?
A) Yeast
B) Amoeba
C) Escherichia coli
D) Paramecium
45. What is the role of bacteriophages in microbiology?
A) To break down complex organic molecules
B) To infect and replicate within bacteria
C) To produce antibiotics
D) To form symbiotic relationships with plants
46. The ability of a microorganism to cause disease is termed:
A) Infection
B) Pathogenicity
C) Virulence
D) Antigenicity
47. Which of the following is a common method for sterilizing heat-sensitive medical equipment?
A) Autoclaving
B) Dry heat sterilization
C) Ethylene oxide gas sterilization
D) Filtration
48. What is the primary function of ribosomes in a bacterial cell?
A) Energy production
B) Protein synthesis
C) DNA replication
D) Cell wall synthesis
49. The process by which microorganisms convert organic matter into simpler substances, often in the absence of oxygen, is known as:
A) Oxidation
B) Fermentation
C) Respiration
D) Photosynthesis
50. Which type of microscopy uses a beam of electrons to create a magnified image of a specimen, allowing for much higher resolution than light microscopy?
A) Phase-contrast microscopy
B) Confocal microscopy
C) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
D) Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
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