Bacteria are prokaryotic cells and grow best at optinum conditions.
1) What are the four main conditions in the human body?

The Sigmoid growth curve is S-shaped and has four distinct phases.
2) Briefly, describe these phases applying them to the growth of bacteria.

The importance of anti-bacterial drugs is their selective toxicity, which means, they only harm the bacterium and not the human body. Antibiotics, for example, inhibit the synthesis of peptidoglycan, an important constituent of the bacterial cell wall not present in humans. Other agents, such as tetracyclins or erythromycin, selectively inhibit bacterial protein synthesis (remember, ribsosomes in bacteria and mammals are different!).
3) At which phase of the Sigmoid growth curve do you think that bacteria are most susceptible and why?

4) There is a total and and viable cell count. In which of them are living cells counted?

5) HIV is a retrovirus causing AIDS. Name its main enzyme and the genetic material it contains.

6) The treatment of HIV has dramatically improved over the last years. The aim is to reduce plasma viral concentrations as much as possible by using a combination of reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors. Describe the cycle of infection of HIV (9 steps).

7) An organism is said to cause a disease when four criteria, also known as Koch's Postulates, are fulfilled. Name these four criteria, but also four possible exceptions.

8) What are the 3 main ways by which microorganisms cause disease?

9) What determines the symptoms of a disease caused by bacteria?

10) What are the consequences of bacterial overproduction for the environment?