Bacteria

Bacteria are unicellular organisms. They might be from 1 to 5 µm in length. These are smaller
than animal cells. Bacteria are prokaryotes. This means, they have no nucleus and other
membrane bounded organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum etc. Their genetic
material-nucleoid loose in the cytoplasm.
Some bacteria contain a form of chlorophyll in their cytoplasm, and thus, they can carry out
photosynthesis. Others are decomposers carrying out saprophytic nutrition. Structures and
functions of different parts of a typical bacterium are given below:

Figure: Structure of a typical bacterium

Slime layer or Capsule: It may be produced from glycolipid.

Function:

• It protects the bacterium from phagocytosis by white blood cells

• It protects the bacterial cell from being desicated
Cell wall: It is made of carbohydrate and protein.
Function:
• It prevents the cell swelling and bursting
• It maintains the shape of the bacterium, and gives support and protection to the contents
of the cell

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Cell membrane: It is made of lipid and protein.
Function:
• It acts as selectively permeable
• It holds the cellular contents such as cytoplasm, chromosome, ribosome etc inside it.
Messosome: It is infolding of cell membrane.
Function:
• It is here aerobic respiration occurs in bacterium
Photosynthetic membranes:
Function :
• It holds chlorophyll which is involved in the process of photosynthesis
Cytoplasm: It contains water, mineral ions such as Na+, K+, Cl- etc. and organic substances such
as proteins, glycogen granule and lipid droplets etc.
Function:
• It provides a basis for chemical reactions to occur
• It maintains osmotic properties of the cell
• Organalles such as ribosome, chromosome, plasmids etc. are suspended in it.
Chromosome or Nucleoid: It contains genetic material. The DNA in its circular chromosome is
folded and coiled to fit into the bacterium.
Plasmids: These are small circular rings of DNA.
Functions:
• It carries some of the bacterium’s genes which can code for the production of a
particular toxin or resistance to a particular antibiotic
• It acts as a vector to transfer desired gene and thus is used in biotechnology.
Flagella: These are made of protein called flagellin.
Function:
• It moves the bacterium through aquatic environment.
Ribosome: It is made of RNA and protein. It is smaller (70S) than those in animal.
Function: It is here protein synthesis occurs in bacteria.

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 Classification of bacteria

Bacteria can be classified on the basis of the followings:

 Shapes:
-Spheres: These may either singles, pairs, chains or groups.
For example, Cocci:
Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus etc.

-Rod: These may be either singles, chains with or without flagella.

For example, Bacilli:
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Salmonella , Shigella etc.

-Spirals: These are either twisted(e.g., Spirilla) or comma-shaped (e.g., Vibrio comma)

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  Respiratory requirements:
- Obligate aerobes: These bacteria need oxygen for respiration
For example, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Nocardia asteroides
- Facultative anaerobes: These bacteria use oxygen if it is available, but can manage
without it
For example, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Salmonella, E.coli etc
- Obligate anaerobe: These bacteria can only respire in absence of oxygen.
For example, Actinomyces, Bacteroides, Clostridium etc

Importance of bacteria

Beneficial aspect:

• Bacteria cause the breakdown and recycling plant and animal remains. They are also used
in treating sewage
• They are involved in food production, e.g., yoghurt, some cheeses, vinegar etc.
• They are a source of antibiotics, e.g. Streptomycin
• They play an important role in manufacturing processes such as tanning leather, retting
flax, making soap powders etc.
• They synthesise some of the vitamin B complex in the human gut

Harmful aspect:

• Some bacteria cause disease in animals, e.g. Tuberculosis by Micobacterium

tuberculosis and typhoid by Salmonella typhi
• Some bacteria infect plants, e.g. Xanthomonas phaseolus causes common blight of beans
• Some bacteria reduces soil fertility, e.g. denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate in the soil
into nitrogen which is released into the air

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