- Oldest, structurally simplest, most abundant forms of life
- Only organism with prokaryotic cellular organization
- The only members of the kingdom Monera (4800 different kinds)
- Characteristics change depending on growth conditions
- Maintenance of life depends on them - play vital role of productivity and as decomposers
- Capable of fixing atmospheric N for use by other organisms
- Used in production and fermentation of various food and as antibiotics and is being tested for
- All bacteria fundamentally single celled
- Sometimes cells adhere within a matrix to form filaments
- Activities of bacterial colonies less integrated and coordinated than in multicellular eukaryotes
Cell Size 10x size of bacteria 1 micrometer (çm) diameter
Chromosomes Membrane bound nucleus w/ chromosomes w/ nucleic acid & proteins No nucleus/chromosomes w/ DNA
Cell Division and Genetic Remcombination Mitosis involving microtubules
Sexual reproduction - meiosis/syngamy Binary fusion
Lack of sexual reproduction - no equal participation
Internal Compartementalization Respirational enzymes packed into mitochondria Corresponding enzymes bound to cell membranes
Cytoplasm - no internal compartments/organelles (except ribosomes)
Flagella Complex 9+2 structure of microtubules (whip-like motion) Simple w/ a single fiber protein flagellin
Autotrophic Diversity Enzymes for photosyn. Packed in membrane-bound organelles (plastids)
Only 1 type of photo. - release of O2 Enzymes bound to cell membrane
Several patterns of aerobic/anaerobic photo. w/ formation of S, O, sulfate
Chemosynthesis - process where certain bacteria obtain energy from oxidation of inorganic compounds and obtain C from CO2
- Lypopolysaccharide - polysaccharide chain with lipids attached
- Molecules of it deposited over layer of gram positive - forming outer membrane
- Makes gram negative bacteri...