TOPIC – STRUCTURE OF A BACTERIAL CELL

PRESENTED BY:

VIDUSHI GUPTA
M.Sc.-1
MICROBIOLOGY
ROLL NO. – 190014245013
 INTRODUCTION
 Bacteria are small, microscopic, mainly saprophytic, prokaryotic organism.
 They are simple in structure when compared to eukaryotes yet often they have
characteristic shape and size.
 The cytoplasmic matrix typically contains several constituents that are not
membrane enclosed. Ex.-Inclusion bodies, ribosomes and the Nucleoid with its
genetic material.
 Although bacteria have a plasma membrane which is required by all living cells.
The bacteria generally lack extensive, complex, internal membrane system, ex-
Mitochondria, Golgi body and Endoplasmic reticulum.
 The bacterial cell wall almost always has peptidoglycan and is chemically and
morphologically complex.
 Most bacteria can be divided into Gram-positive and Gram-negative groups
based on their cell wall, structure and response to the gram stain.
 Components like capsule, fimbriae and flagella are located outside the cell wall.
 Some Bacteria form a resistant endospore to survive harsh environment
conditions in a dormant state.
 BACTERIAL CELL STRUCTURE
 Cell Envelope :
 Cytoplasmic/Plasma Membrane
 Cell Wall
 Outer Membrane

 External Structures :
 Pili
 Flagella
 Glycocalyx

 Cytoplasmic Structures :
 Nucleoid and Plasmid
 Ribosomes
 Inclusions
 CELL WALL
 It is rigid solid covering which provides shape and structural support to the cell.
 Cell wall lies between plasma membrane and glycocalyx. Periplasmic space occurs between plasma
membrane and cell wall.
 Peptidoglycan is a polysaccharide composed of two sugar derivates- N-Acetylglucosamine and N-
Acetylmuramic acid.
 It is single layered and smooth. It consists of lipopolysaccharides, lipids and proteins.
 The cell wall protects bacteria against osmotic lysis, acts as a protective barrier and prevents the loss of
constituents from the cell.

PLASMA MEMBRANE
 The general structure of cytoplasmic membrane is a phospholipid bilayer.
 The membrane lipid is organized in two layers, arranged end-to-end. The plasma membrane is selectively
permeable barrier. It regulates the movement of ions and substances across the cell.
 The membrane contains special receptor molecules that help bacteria detect and respond to chemicals
in their surroundings.

OUTER MEMBRANE
 The outer membrane has hydrophilic channels of 16-stranded (3-barrel) proteins called porins.
FLAGELLA
 Each flagellum is composed of a helical filament, hook and basal body.
 The hollow filament is composed of long, rigid strands of protein while the hook attaches the filament
to a basal body anchored in the cell membrane and cell wall. The basal body is an assembly of more
than 20 different proteins that form a central rod and set of enclosing rings.
 The motility results from the torsion generated on the normal rotation of the flagella.

PILI
 These are extremely thin and short, filamentous, non-flagellar appendages projecting peritrichously
from cell surface.
 Their number is 100-500 per cell and measure 0.5-20 µm in length and 3-25 nm in diameter.
 They are made up of subunits of protein, the pilin, arranged helically and form hollow structure.

GLYCOCALYX
 It is the outermost mucilage layer of the cell envelope which consists of non-cellulosic
polysaccharides with or without proteins.
 Glycocalyx may occur in the form of loose sheath when it is called slime layer. If thick and
tough, the mucilage covering is called capsule.
 Glycocalyx gives sticky character to the cell.
 It is not absolutely essential for survival of bacteria
NUCLEOID
 It represents the genetic material of bacteria. Nucleoid consists of a single circular strand of DNA duplex
which is super­coiled with the help of RNA and polyamines to form a nearly oval or spherical complex.

 The folding is 250-700 times. DNA of bacteria is naked because of its non-association with histone pro ­teins
and absence of nuclear envelope around it. Nucleoid is embedded freely in the cytoplasm.

PLASMID
 They are self-replicating, extra chromosomal segments of double stranded, circular, naked DNA.

 Plasmids provide unique phenotypic characters to bacteria. They are independent of main nucleoid.

 Some of them contain important genes like fertility factor, nif genes, resistance factors and Colicinogenic
factors.

RIBOSOMES
 They are small membrane less, microscopic ribonucleoprotein molecules having a size of 20 nmx15 nm.

 The ribosomes are 70S in nature. (S denotes sedimentation coefficient or Svedberg number).

 Each ribosome has two subunits, larger 50S and smaller 30S.Ribo­somes take part in protein synthesis.

INCLUSION BODIES
 They are non-living structures present in the cytoplasm.

 The inclusion bodies may occur freely inside the cytoplasm e.g., cyanophycean granules, volutin or
phosphate granules, glycogen granules.

 On the basis of their nature, the inclusion bodies are of 3 types— gas vacuoles, inorganic inclusions and food
reserve.
THANK YOU