Download Bacteria Bacterial Structure Bacteria differ from eukaryotes in 7 ways

Bacteria
Bacterial Structure
Bacteria differ from eukaryotes in 7 ways
1. Internal Compartmentalization
a. No nucleus
b. No internal compartments
c. No membranes
2. Cell Size
a. 1µ-5µ (very small!)
3. Multicellularity
a. Single cells
b. May stick together, but this does not make them multi-cellular
4. Chromosomes
a. Single circular piece of DNA
5. Reproduction
a. Binary fission (One cell “pinches” into two cells)
6. Flagella
a. Single fiber of protein
b. Spins like a corkscrew to move the cell
c. Can also have Pili
i. Short thick outgrowth from cell
ii. Allows bacteria to attach to a surface or another cell
7. Metabolic Diversity
a. Do anaerobic and aerobic processes
Shape
1. Bacillus – Rod shape
2. Coccus – Round shape
3. Spirillum – Spiral shape
**Have a capsule outside of the cell wall**
Conjugation
1. Need pili
2. Exchange of genetic information between cells
3. Enables spread of genes within a population
Obtaining Energy
1. Photosynthesizers
a. Purple non-sulfur (use organic compounds as source for photosynthesis)
b. Green sulfur (use sulfur compounds as source for photosynthesis)
i. Live in anaerobic (Oxygen-free) environment
c. Purple sulfur (use sulfur compounds as source for photosynthesis)
i. Live in anaerobic (Oxygen-free) environment
d. Cyanobacteria (Nitrogen fixers)
2. Chemoautotrophs
a. Remove electrons from inorganic molecules
b. Make their own amino acids and proteins
c. Live in the soil (do nitrification)
3. Heterotrophs
a. Decomposers
b. Live in aerobic environments
Antibiotics
1. Chemicals that interfere with the life processes of bacteria
2. Gram Staining – helps to determine which antibiotic would be most useful against a certain
bacterial infection
**Antibiotic Resistance**
Caused by mutations, or when all of the susceptible bacteria have been wiped out and only the
“strongest” bacteria remain. This occurs when a course of antibiotics is not completed (ends early).