bacterium
Microscopic living thing
A bacterium is a single-celled microorganism, the simplest form of life.
Bacteria exist nearly everywhere—in soil, water, air, and inside other organisms.
Some cause disease; others are essential for digestion, decomposition, and countless industrial processes.
The plural is bacteria, which often appears incorrectly as a singular: The bacteria is spreading should technically use "are."
Rigid plant cell boundary
- flagellumWhiplike cellular appendage
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- cytoplasmGel surrounding the nucleus
- plasmidSelf-replicating DNA circle
capsule · DNA · chromosome · membrane · nucleoid · endospore · bacillus · rod-shaped
Pathogen invasion causing illness
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
- pathogenDisease-causing microorganism
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
- virulenceCapacity to cause disease
antibiotic · contagion · outbreak · contamination · sepsis · epidemic · pandemic · transmission
Digestive tract, or instinct
- floraPlants of a region
- microbiomeBody's microbial community
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
- commensalHarmless biological freeloader
probiotic · fermentation · digestion · intestinal · colonization · diversity · homeostasis · beneficial
Collective social practices
- agarAlgae-derived gelling substance
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- microscopeInstrument for viewing minute objects
- incubationDevelopment before emergence
inoculation · specimen · sample · staining · slide · centrifuge · pipette · sterile
Making identical copies
- recombinantGenetically engineered combination
- bioreactorVessel for growing organisms
- biofuelFuel from organic sources
- bioremediationLiving organisms detoxify pollutants
transgenic · expression · vector · transformation · CRISPR · enzyme · industrial · fermentation
cell-wall
Rigid plant cell boundary
- flagellumWhiplike cellular appendage
- ribosomeProtein synthesis site
- cytoplasmGel surrounding the nucleus
plasmid · capsule · DNA · chromosome · membrane · nucleoid · endospore · bacillus · rod-shaped · spherical
infection
Pathogen invasion causing illness
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
- pathogenDisease-causing microorganism
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
virulence · antibiotic · contagion · outbreak · contamination · sepsis · epidemic · pandemic · transmission · carrier
gut
Digestive tract, or instinct
- floraPlants of a region
- microbiomeBody's microbial community
- symbiosisInterspecies biological interdependence
commensal · probiotic · fermentation · digestion · intestinal · colonization · diversity · homeostasis · beneficial · lactobacillus
culture
Collective social practices
- agarAlgae-derived gelling substance
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
- microscopeInstrument for viewing minute objects
incubation · inoculation · specimen · sample · staining · slide · centrifuge · pipette · sterile · broth
cloning
Making identical copies
- recombinantGenetically engineered combination
- bioreactorVessel for growing organisms
- biofuelFuel from organic sources
bioremediation · transgenic · expression · vector · transformation · CRISPR · enzyme · industrial · fermentation · synthesis
- Contaminantspollutants, pollutant, heavy metals, toxin, pesticides
- tiny thingsant, atom, bead, crumb, dust mote
- microbiologymicrobe, microbes, microorganisms, microorganism, virus
- Microbesvirus, mold, prokaryote, prokaryotes, microbes
- Microscopicvirus, amoeba, paramecium, microbe, cell membrane
- Pathogenspathogen, germ, germs, virus, viruses
bacteriumhost
One receiving guests
antibody · white blood cell · antibiotic · immune system · macrophage
- beneficial bacteriaHealth-promoting microorganisms
- bacterial contaminationHarmful microbes present
- bacterial infectionIllness from harmful microorganisms
- flesh-eating bacteriaMicrobes destroying living tissue
- bacterial resistanceMicrobes surviving drug treatment
- bacterial spore
bacteria, bacterial, antibacterial, bactericide, bactericidal, bacteriology, bacterias, bacteriologist, bacteriological