ASSIGNMENT

BACTERIA
Prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
They do not have true nucleus. They have true nucleus.
They do not have membrane bounded organelles. They have membrane bounded organelles.
They are simple. They are complex.
e.g Bacteria e.g Animals, plants
Bacteria
Bacterial cell is different from plant and animal cell in many ways. They do not have true nucleus and
membrane bounded organelles. That why they are known as “prokaryotes”. They are the tiny organisms which
can’t be seen with the naked eye. They can only be observed under microscope.
Discovery of bacteria: Antonne Van Leeuwenhoek discovered the bacteria by microscope.
Occurrence: They are found in all environments. They are found in air, water, soil and also in or on the bodies
of plants and animals.
Structure: Bacterial cell includes following structures:
 Capsule: It is a layer outside the cell wall. Most but not all bacteria have capsule.
 Cell wall: A thin membrane located outside the plasma membrane and within the capsule. It protect the
cell and give shape to the cell.
 Plasma membrane: It is a semi permeable membrane that helps in transport of chemicals and energy
generation.
 Cytoplasm: The jelly like material located inside the plasma membrane in which genetic material and
ribosomes are located.
 DNA: It is the genetic material of the bacteria, located within the cytoplasm in a region called nucleoid
region.
 Ribosomes: These are small organelles located in the cytoplasm that are sites of protein synthesis.
 Plasmid: A plasmid is a short, circular and double stranded segment of DNA that is found in cytoplasm,
separate from the main bacterial chromosomes. The term plasmid was first introduced by American
molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg in 1952.
 Pilus: They are hair like and help a bacteria to stick to a surface.
 Flagellum: A long whip like structure used for locomotion. Some bacteria have
more than one flagellum.
Different species of bacteria have different numbers and arrangements of flagella.
 Monotrichous bacteria have a single flagellum at one end.
 Amphitrichous bacteria have single flagellum on both sides.
 Lophotrichous bacteria have cluster of flagella at one end.
 Amphilophotrichous bacteria have cluster of flagella at both ends.
 Peritrichous bacteria have many flagella distributed on entire body.
Shapes of bacteria: Bacteria are classified into 3 groups on the basis of their shape.
 Cocci: They are of round/circular shape.
 Bacilli: They are of rod shape.
 Spirilla: They are of spiral shape.

Endospore: During unfavorable conditions, certain bacteria form resistant cells celled endospores, to
overcome the harsh environment. These endospore remain dormant for longer period of time and germinate,
when the environmental conditions become favorable.
Reproduction: Bacteria grows in colonies and reproduce both asexually and sexually.
 Asexual reproduction: Bacteria increase in size, duplicate its DNA and split into two.
 Sexual reproduction: Two separate bacteria exchange their piece of DNA.