You Are Studying Swimming Motility in a Pathogenic Bacillus

question 25

Essay

You are studying swimming motility in a pathogenic bacillus. You create mutations in random genes and then test which mutations effect swimming motility by looking at the mutant cells under the microscope. One of the mutant bacteria cannot swim anymore, but still rotates around in one spot when you watch them. Using electron microscopy you discover that some parts of the flagella are still present in the cell wall, but no long flagella are visible. Which gene do you think is mutated (i.e., missing) and which motility-related parts are still present in this mutant?

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Definitions:

The Exorcist

A horror film directed by William Friedkin, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty, centered around the possession of a young girl and her exorcism.

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Pertaining to mysticism or mysterious, spiritual, or transcendental experiences and beliefs that transcend normal human understanding.

Psychoanalytic

A theoretical approach in psychology that emphasizes unconscious mental processes and early childhood experiences in shaping personality and behavior.

Learning Approach

A theory or method that emphasizes the importance of the environment and experiences in the learning process.