Morphology and

Structure of Bacteria
TYPICAL STRUCTURE OF BACTERIA
Morphological Characteristics
 The major morphological characteristics of bacteria
include: (1) size (2) shape (3)structure and (4)
arrangement of bacterial cells.

 The basic shapes that occur are: (1) spherical (2) rod
like and (3) helical.

 In certain species of bacteria, the cells are arranged in

pairs, clusters, chains, trichoma and filaments.

 The pattern, shape and arrangement are often

characteristic of genus.
 Morphological Characteristics

These are the spherical "Cocci" bacteria This is an example of the rod shaped "Bacillus"

These are the spiral (helical) shaped "spirillia" type of bacteria.

 Morphological Characteristics

 The internal structure of the cell was

made possible by the development of
the electron microscopy and of the
instruments for slicing bacterial cells
into extremely small sections.

 The various structures of bacterial cells

can differ from one another by physical
features and chemical characteristics.
 Size
Size of bacterial cells:
 Most bacteria are approximately 0.5µm
to 1µm.
 The surface area/volume ratio is very
high as compared to larger organisms
of similar shape.
 High surface area accounts for high rate
of growth and metabolism of bacteria.
Shape and Arrangement
Shape and Arrangement of bacteria:
 The shape of a bacterium is governed by it
rigid cell wall.
 The typical bacterial shapes are:
◦ (1) Spherical: cocci (singular: coccus)
E.g. Stapylococcus
◦ (2) Staright rods: bacilli (singular: bacillus)
E.g. Lactobacillus
◦ (3) helical rods: spirilla (singular: spirillum)
E.g. Aquaspirillum
 Shape and Arrangement of
bacteria

Scanning electron microscopy Electron Micrograph of the Meat Aquaspirillum

of Staphylococcus Spoilage Bacterium Lactobacillus magnetotacticum
epidermidis cluster embedded in sake
exopolysaccharide matrix
The three major shapes of
bacteria
Shape and Arrangement
Characteristic arrangement of cocci:
 Diplococci: cells divide in one plane and
remain attached predominantly in pairs.

 Streptococci: cells divide in one plane

and remain attached to form chains
Shape and Arrangement
 Tetracocci: cells divide in two planes and
characteristically form groups of four cells.

 Staphylococci: cells divide in three planes in

an irregular pattern producing bunches of
cocci.
Shape and Arrangement
 Sarcinae: cells divide in three planes in
a regular pattern producing a cuboidal
arrangement of cells.
 Shape and Arrangement
Size and Shape: Size varies from 0.2 - 60 µm.
There are 4 basic shapes - spherical, rods, spiral and square.

Spherical is called coccus.

• Division along the same plane forms chains; 2

cocci together – Diplococcus

• 4 - 20 in chains Streptococcus.

• Division along 2 different planes-Tetrads

• Division along 3 planes regularly -

Sarcinae

• Division along 3 planes irregularly -

Staphylococci
 Cocci

Neisseria Meningitidis (large Scanning electron microscope Electron micrograph of a cross-section of

gram-negative diplococci) image of Streptococcus bacteria/ a D. radiodurans tetracoccus (cluster of
encarta.com four cells).

Staphylococcus aureus cocci, in cubes of eight

called "sarcinae
 Shape and Arrangement
 Some bacillus species are lined side by side
like match sticks (palisade arrangement) and
at angles to one another.
E.g. Corynebacterium diptheriae

 Streptomyces species form long branched

multinucleate filaments called hyphae which
collectively form mycellium.

 Other shapes include curved bacteria, pear-

shaped cells, lobed spheres, disks arranged
like stacks of coins, etc.
 Structures External to the Cell
Wall
(A) Flagella:
 Bacterial flagella (singular: flagellum) are hair-like
structures that protrude through the cell wall and are
responsible for swimming motility.
 The location of flagella may be polar (at one or both ends
of the bacterium) or lateral (along the sides of the
bacterium).
 The flagella consists of three parts:
◦ (1) a basal body: associated with the cytoplasmic
membrane and short hook.
◦ (2) a short hook
◦ (3) a helical filament: which usually surrounds the
flagellum
◦
 The hook and the filament are made up of the protein
called flagellin.
 Motility of Bacteria
 Presence of Flagella aids in motility: Bacteria
having polar flagella swim in back and forth
fashion while bacteria having lateral flagella swim
in a more complicated manner.

 Swimming motility without flagella: Some

helical bacteria exhibit swimming motility
particularly in viscous media even though they do
not have flagella. Some bacteria contain flagella-
like structures beneath the outer cell envelope
(periplasmic flagella) and others are able to swim
in viscous media even without any periplasmic
flagella.
 Motility of Bacteria
 Gliding motility: some bacteria are
motile only when they are in contact with
the solid surface. Movement is very slow
and mechanism of gliding motility is
unknown.

 Bacterial chemotaxis: Many motile

bacteria are capable of directed swimming
towards or away from various chemical
compounds by a phenomenon called
bacterial chemotaxis.
Flagella
 Structures External to the Cell
Wall
(B) Pili (Fimbrae):
 Pili (singular: pilus) are hollow, non-helical,
filamentous appendages that are thinner,
shorter and more numerous than flagella.

 They are found both in motile and non-motile

bacteria and do not function in motility.

 They have various functions: e.g. pili help

bacteria to attach to epithelial cells during
infection and prevents bacteria from being
washed away by the flow of body fluids.
 Structures External to the Cell
Wall
(C) Capsules:
 some bacterial cells are surrounded by a viscous
substance forming a covering layer around the cell
wall. This is called a capsule.
 If the layer is too thin it is called a microcapsule.
 If it is so abundant that many cells are embedded
in a common matrix then it is called slime.
 Some of the functions of capsules are:
◦ (1) They provide temporary protection to
bacteria against drying.
◦ (2) They may block he attachment of
bacteriophages.
◦ (3) They may be antiphagocytic.
Pili and Capsule
 Cell Wall of Bacteria
Cell wall
 Beneath the external structures
(capsules, falgella) and external
cytoplasmic membrane is the cell wall.
 Cell wall is a very rigid structure that
gives shape to the cell.
 Its main function is to prevent the cell
from expanding and eventually bursting
because of uptake of water.
 Cell Wall of Bacteria
Structure and chemical composition of cell walls of
different types of bacteria:

 Peptidoglycan: the shape determining part of the cell

wall in eubacteria is largely peptidoglycan (sometimes
called murein).
 Peptidoglycan is an insoluble, porous, cross-linked
polymer of enormous strength and rigidity.
 Peptidoglycan is found only is prokaryotes.
 Composition of peptidoglycan: N-acetyl
glucosamine, N-acetyl muramic acid, L-alanine, D-
alanine, D-glutamate and a diamino acid (meso-
diaminopimelic acid, L-lysine, L-ornithine or L-
diaminobutyris acid).
Peptidoglycan Matrix
Cell Wall of Bacteria
Walls of Archeobacteria:
 The cell walls of archeobacteria do not contain
peptidoglycan.
 Their cell wall structure and composition are very
different from eubacteria.
 Theirs walls are usually composed of proteins,
glycoproteins and polysaccharides.

Walls of Gram positive eubacteria:

 High amount of peptidoglycan is present.
 They may contain polysaccharides covalently bound to
peptidoglycan.
 Techoic acid may be present.
 Cell Wall of Bacteria
Walls of Gram negative eubacteria:
 Cell walls of Gram negative bacteria are more complex
than those of Gram positive bacteria.
 Presence of an outer membrane rich in lipid which
serves as a barrier to prevent the escape of important
enzymes.
 Composition: phospholipids, proteins and
lipopolysaccharides.

Macromolecular surface arrays:

 The cell walls of some of the gram positive and gram
negative bacteria are covered by a mosaic layer of
protein subunits.
CELL WALLS OF GRAM POSITVE AND GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA
Structures Internal to the Cell
Wall
(A) Cytoplasmic membrane:
 The cytoplasmic membrane lies immediately beneath
the cell wall.
 It is approximately 7.5 nm thick and is composed of
phospholipid which form a bilayer and hold integral
proteins.
 The lipid matrix of the membrane has fluidity which
allows the components to move around laterally.
 Functions of the membrane include: (1) it acts as a
hydrophbic barrier preventing penetration of water-
soluble molecules. (2) Contains enzymes involved in
respiratory metabolism and synthesis of various cell-
components.
 Damage to the cytoplasmic membrane by physical or
chemical means can result in cell death.
Cell Wall of Gram positive bacteria
 Structures Internal to the Cell
Wall
(B) Protoplasts and Spheroplasts:
 Protoplasts and spheroplasts function in maintaining the
osmotic pressure of the bacterial cell.

(C) Membranous intrusions and intracellular

membrane Systems:
 Bacterial cells do not contain membrane-enclosed
organelles. Rather they have specialized invaginations of
the cytoplasmic membrane that can increase the surface
area for certain functions. Mesosomes refer to the
invaginations which are involved in cell division or export
of exocellular enzymes.

(D) Cytoplasm:
 It is the cell material bounded by the cytoplasmic
membrane.
Structures Internal to the Cell
Wall
 Cytoplasm is divided into: (1) the cytoplasmic
area: granular in appearance and rich in
ribosomes. (2) chromatinic area which is rich in
DNA and (3) fluid portion with dissolved
substances.

(E) Cytoplasmic inclusions and vacuoles:

 These are concentrated deposits of certain
substances in the cytoplasm.
 E.g. Volutin granules: reserve source for
phosphate
 Polysaccheride granules: glycogen reserve.
 Gas vacuoles: provide buoyancy.
Structures Internal to the Cell
Wall
(F) Nuclear material:
 Bacterial cells neither contain distinct
membrane enclosed nucleus nor a
mitotic apparatus.

 They contain a nuclear structure in the

center of the cell where DNA is
confined.

 Nucleoid, chromatin body and bacterial

chromosome all refer to the nuclear
material in bacteria.
Structure of Bacteria
 Spores and Cysts
Spore:
 The spore is a metabolically dormant form which, under
appropriate conditions, can undergo germination and
outgrowth to form a vegetative cell.

Endospores:
 Production of spores within the cell.
 Produced by cells growing in rich media but which are
approaching the end of active growth.
 The genera Bacillus, Clostridium, Sporosarcina and
Thermoactinomyces are examples which can produce
endospores.
 All endospores contain dipocholinic acid (DPA) which is not
present in vegetative cells.
 Endospores are resistant to desiccation, staining, disinfecting
chemicals, radiation and heat.
 Spores and Cysts
Exospores:
 Spores external to the vegetative cell.
 These are desiccation-resistant and heat-resistant but
do not contain DPA.
 Cells of methane-oxidizing genus Methylosinus form
exospores.

Cysts:
 Cysts are dormant, thick walled, desiccation-resistant
forms that develop by differentiation of a vegetative
cell and which can later germinate under suitable
conditions.
 An example of a cyst is the structurally complex type
produced by the genus Azobacter.
 Cysts in Azobacter

Exospore and endospore

Endospore formation
 STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A BACTERIAL CELL

STRUCTURE FUNCTION
Cell Wall protects the cell and gives shape
protects the cell against some antibiotics (only present in
Outer Membrane
Gram-negative cells)
regulates movement of materials into and out of the
Cell Membrane cell; contains enzymes
important to cellular respiration
contains DNA, ribosomes, and organic compounds required to
Cytoplasm
carry out life processes

Chromosome carries genetic information inherited from past generations

Plasmid contains some genes obtain through genetic recombination

protects the cell and assist in attaching the cell to other
Capsule, and slime layer
surfaces
protects the cell against harsh environmental conditions, such
Endospore as heat or
drought

assist the cell in attaching to other surfaces, which is important

Pilus (Pili)
for genetic recombination
Flagellum moves the cell