Download Bacteria - Valhalla High School

Monera
Bacteria are of
immense importance
because of their rapid
growth, reproduction,
and mutation rates,
as well as, their ability
to exist under adverse
conditions.
 The oldest fossils
known, nearly 3.5
billion years old, are
fossils of bacteria-like
organisms.


Bacteria can be autotrophs or hetertrophs.

Bacteria classified as
heterotrophs derive
energy from breaking
down complex
organic compounds in
the environment, as
well as those that live
as parasites,
absorbing nutrients
from living organisms.

Depending on the
species, bacteria can
be aerobic which
means they require
oxygen to live
or

anaerobic which
means oxygen is
deadly to them.
Green patches are green sulfur
bacteria. The rust patches are
colonies of purple non sulfur
bacteria. The red patches are purple
sulfur bacteria.

Bacteria are often
maligned as the
causes of human and
animal disease.
However, certain
bacteria, the
actinomycetes,
produce antibiotics
such as streptomycin
and nocardicin.

Other Bacteria live symbiotically in the
guts of animals or elsewhere in their
bodies.

For example, bacteria in your gut produce
vitamin K which is essential to blood clot
formation.

Still other Bacteria live
on the roots of certain
plants, converting
nitrogen into a usable
form.

Bacteria put the tang
in yogurt and the sour
in sourdough bread.

Saprobes help to
break down dead
organic matter.

Bacteria make up the
base of the food webs
in many
environments.
Streptococcus thermophilus in yogurt

Bacteria are prokaryotic and unicellular.

Bacteria have cell walls.

Bacteria have circular DNA called plasmids

Bacteria can be anaerobes or aerobes.


Bacteria are heterotrophs or autotrophs.
Bacteria are awesome!
Shapes of Bacteria
Penicillin, an antibiotic, comes from molds of the
genus Penicillium Notice the area of inhibition
around the Penicillium.

Penicillin kills bacteria by making holes in their
cell walls. Unfortunately, many bacteria have
developed resistance to this antibiotic.