The name staphylococcus aureus contains the term "coccus," which indicates that the bacteria is round-shaped.

Rod shaped bacteria are classified as bacilli and helical bacteria are classified as spirilla.

Formation of a bridge between two cells occurs during conjugation. The bridge is called a sex pilus, which is used to carry genetic material from one bacterial cell to the other.

Transduction is another mode of reproduction, but involves transmission of genetic material through a vector. Vectors are generally host cells or virions that carry parts of the bacterial genome known as plasmids.

The third type of bacterial reproduction is called transformation. In transformation a bacterial cell engulfs and incorporates genetic material from its surroundings.

Translation is not a type of bacterial reproduction; it is the process by which proteins are made from mRNA.

Only gram-negative bacteria have an outer membrane. This outer membrane contains lipopolysaccharides. Gram-positive bacteria have only one membrane.

Teichoic acids are present only in gram-positive bacteria. They contribute to the thickness of the peptidoglycan layer.

Both types of bacteria have peptidoglycan. Gram-positive bacteria have a thick layer, due to the presence of teichoic acids. This allows them to retain the gram stain and appear purple. Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer, causing them to appear pink under gram staining.

Recall that pink stained cells are gram-negative, whereas purple stained cells are gram-positive. Based on color, we can conclude that cell A is gram-negative (pink) and cell B is gram-positive (purple). One of the characteristics of gram-positive cells is that they have a thick cell wall. The thick peptidoglycan cell wall stops the gram stain from leaking out, resulting in a darker color.

Since cell B is purple, we can conclude that it is gram-positive and has a thick cell wall.

The genito-urinary, respiratory, and digestive systems, as well as skin and mucous membranes, are natural physical barriers against infection.

Opportunistic microorganisms are normal fauna that are usually harmless; however, given the opportunity of a breach of any of our natural barriers, these organisms can invade vulnerable systems and cause infection, thus becoming pathogenic.

A pathogen that is an acidophile prefers highly acidic environments and therefore could survive the stomach's 2.0 pH - a lethal barrier to most organisms. The effectiveness of other natural barriers, however, would not be different because the organism is an acidophile.

All of these answers are true differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Prokaryotes' DNA is double-stranded, but circular instead of linear, as in eukaryotes. This facilitates the expedient replication of multiple genes.  Eukaryotes have membrane-bound organelles, but prokaryotes do not. The more complex a cell is, the greater number of reactions and processes that need to be separated. Eukaryotes also have multiple replication origins most likely due to the length and distribution of their genes. Eukaryotes also do not have operons (present in prokaryotes) that are analogous to "gene packets," which are transcribed simultaneously. Since prokaryotic DNA is circular they have no "ends". Thus there are no need for telomeres which cover the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. This loss of important genetic information at the end of transcription due to the antiparallel nature of DNA.

Bacteria are a type of prokaryote, which do not have any membrane-bound organelles, but do have circular, doubled-stranded DNA, ribosomes, and an outer membrane made of proteins and lipids. Since glycolysis does not require any organelles, it occurs in they cytoplasm of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

A plasmid replicates itself by being introduced to a bacterium and inserting its genetic information. The bacterium then undergoes its replication process with the genetic information that was injected by the plasmid and in this way the plasmid is cloned. Bacteria do not undergo mitosis, rather, they undergo a process called binary fission to produce identical daughter cells.

A good antibiotic should target a biological system or function of the bacteria that is different than the host; an example being peptidoglycan in the cell wall of any bacteria. The antibiotic should be broad spectrum, or in other words have the ability to treat several types of bacterial infections regardless of the type of bacteria. The antibiotic should be able to be taken orally or intravenously for ease of administration. In addition most antibiotics are a dry form that can be stored at room temperature or above in order to make it ease to administer in underdeveloped countries or areas of poverty. The side effects should be negligible to the condition. Side effects are in direct proportion to the damage the chemical is doing to the host.  If side effects are to harsh, other complications to the host, including death, could result.

Antibiotics should be used to treat bacterial infections only. West Nile Virus is a virus and C. albicans is a fungus. The common cold is caused by an infection by a virus, most often rhinovirus and human coronavirus. K. pneumonia on the other hand, causes pneumonia, and a person will suffer from deep cough and congestion for months or until treated.