Bacteria 1

Chapter 23

Bacteria

I Evolution – characteristics

A) Kingdom monera

B) Prokaryotic – no membrane bound organelle

C) Microscopic

D) Found in fossils 3.5 billion years old

E) Live in any environment

F) 3 basic shapes

1) Cocci – spherical
(a)Streptococci: chains of cocci.
(b)Staphylococci: clusters of cocci.

2) Bacilli – rod

3) Spirilli – spiral

(a)Found in singles,
clusters, chains, or
filaments

II Structure and Function

A) Cell wall: Gives its shape

and protects the cell from
toxic substances.

B) Cell membrane: Inside cell

wall. Regulates the types
of molecules that move into and out of the cell.

1) Lipid bilayers and proteins

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C) Photosynthetic bacteria have cell membranes whose internal

foldings are called thylakoids.

1) Bacterial thylakoids have photosynthetic pigments that

trap light energy.

D) Plasmids: Small, circular, self-replicating loops of

double-stranded DNA. Carries genes that are transferred
through genetic recombination.

E) Capsul: Outer covering of polysaccharide. Protects the

cell and helps the cell attach to other cells and surfaces.

F) Pili: Short, hair like protein structures on the surface of

some bacteria. Helps the cell attach to surfaces and other
cells during conjugation.

G) Endospore: Thick-coated, resistant structure formed by

gram-positive bacteria when environmental conditions become
harsh. Contains DNA.

H) Flagella: Allow prokaryotes to move toward food sources or

away from danger.

1) Movement toward or away from a stimulus is called taxis.

III Nutrition

A) Two crucial needs:

1) Source of carbon to build the organic molecules of their

cells.

2) Source of energy.

B) Heterotrophs – obtain food from others

1) Saprophytic – obtain food by feeding off dead and

decaying matter.

2) Parasitic – feed and obtain food from living things

C) Autotrophs – can make their own food from inorganic matter

1) Photoautotrophs – use sunlight to make food.

(phototrophs)

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2) Chemoautotrophs – use chemicals to make food.

(chemotrophs)

IV Respiration

A) Obligate anaerobes – cannot live with O2

B) Facultative anaerobes – live with or without oxygen

C) Obligate aerobes – must have O2

V Reproduction

A) Binary Fission: asexual reproduction where the bacteria

split into two identical cells.

B) Conjugation: exchanging genetic material by direct cell to

cell contact.

VI Classification

A) Kingdom Archaebacteria

1) Not like bacteria – more like eukaryotic cells because

their genes function like DNA and RNA coding for amino
acids.

2) Different composition of outer membrane or cell wall.

3) Live in harsh environments

Examples:

1. Methanogens: anaerobic – live without oxygen

a. Use CO2 and H to form Methane and H2O

b. Live in digestive system of sheep or cattle

or bottom of bogs, sewage treatment ponds.

2. Halophiles: live in high salt water

3. Thermoacidophiles: high acid areas where

temperatures are very hot.

4. Sulfur bacteria: live near deep sea volcano

vents and feed on sulfur.

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B) Kingdom Eubacteria – Bacteria

1) Classified according to Gram + or - stain

(a)Proteobacteria: largest, most diverse

1. Many live symbiotically within other organisms.

a. EX: nitrogen fixing bacteria live nodules in

roots of legumes and convert nitrogen to
other elements the plant needs

2. Causes diseases in Plants and Animals

a. Tumors in plants

b. Richettsiae causes Rocky Mountain Spotted

Fever

3. Some enteric and live inside humans

a. EX: man – E. coli in our lower intestines

and helps breakdown food.

(b)Spirochetes: spiral shaped; move in corkscrew

(a)EX: syphilis, Lyme

(c)Chlamydia: cocci

VII Production of toxins

A) Pathogen: any organism which causes a disease

B) Bacteria cause harm by producing toxins – poisonous

substances

C) Two types of toxins

1) Endotoxins – found in cell walls of gram negative

bacteria.

(a)Cell walls made of lipopoly – saccharides – stain pink

(b)Difficult to treat with antibiotics – 2 layers of

lipids

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2) Exotoxins – toxins produced as a result of the bacteria’s

metabolism

(a)Gram positive – stain purple

(b)Easily treated with antibiotics (only 1 layer)

VIII Antibiotics: chemicals which inhibit the growth of bacteria.

A) Interfere with certain cellular activities.

B) Made naturally by some fungi and bacteria competing for

resources.

C) Antibiotic resistance: the evolution of populations of

pathogenic bacteria that antibiotics are unable to kill.

D) Resistance can evolve in a population of bacteria

1. GENES IN A FEW CELLS

MUTATE

2. If antibiotic is absent, the few mutant

cells grow slower than normal and die.

3. Normal cells take over

population.
4. If antibiotic is present, the mutant cells
that are resistant to antibiotic survive and
reproduce.

5. Resistant cells eventually take

over population

IX Beneficial Bacteria

A) Decay of dead plants and animals

B) Nitrogen fixing bacteria

C) Bioremediation: using organisms to clean up environmental

pollutants

1) EX: oil spills

D) Production of food

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1) Dairy: cheese, cottage, cream cheese, yogurt, butter,

saukraut, pickles, wine, vinegar

E) In industry

1) Medicines, cleaners, drugs, glues, methane as fuel

F) To kill bacteria in food industry

1) Freezing

2) Heat = pasteurization

3) Preservatives – in canning foods

4) Antibiotics

X Harmful bacteria – cause many diseases

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