BIO 151 (GENERAL BIOLOGY 1) 2018/2019 SESSION

LECTURE 5: THE CELL CONCEPT: STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF BACTERIA

Lecturer: ONUORA V. C. Lecture Dates: Group A —1st March, 2019

Group B —27th February, 2019
Group C —25th February, 2019
Name Group D —8th March, 2019
Reg number Group E —6th March, 2019
Department Group F —4th March, 2019

· Bacteria are prokaryotes

· Features of prokaryotes:
Ø lack well-defined nuclei
Ø Lack membrane-bound organelles
Ø Their DNA is a single closed circle
· According to shapes, prokaryotes belong to one of the following:
Ø cocci (spherical), eg, Staphylococcus aureus
Ø bacilli (rod-ilke), eg, Escherichia coli
Ø comma-shaped eg, Vibrio cholerae
Fimbriae
Ø Spirochetes (spiral threads), eg, Rhodospirillum rubrum
Ø flagellated rods (Spirilla), eg, Leptospira interrogans
Ø filamentous chains eg, the actinomycetes
Figure 1: Morphology of a prokaryotic
cell

CYTOPLASM
· Cytoplasm is a gel-like matrix
· It is composed of water, enzymes, nutrients, wastes, and gases
· Cell functions like metabolism and replication occur here
· Other internal cell structures like inclusion bodies, ribosomes, the
nucleoid, and plasmids are found here
NUCLEOID
· It is a region of the bacterial cytoplasm where the chromosomal
DNA is located.
· It is not membrane-bound
· Also called nuclear body, chromatin body, or nuclear region.
· The DNA housed here can be 230–700 times longer than the cell.
· DNA is extensively coiled with the aid of condensins.
INCLUSION BODIES
· These are granules of organic or inorganic material
· Used for storage or to reduce osmotic pressure by tying up
molecules in particulate form.
· Some lie free in the cytoplasm (e.g., some glycogen granules),
· Others are enclosed (e.g., gas vacuoles)
PLASMID
· Plasmids are extra DNA found in bacteria.
· They are not involved in reproduction.
· They replicate independently of the chromosome
· They are not essential for survival, but they give selective advantage
to bacteria that have them.
· such advantages include:
Ø antibiotic resistance
Ø heavy metal resistance
Ø virulence factors necessary for infection.
· The ability to insert specific genes into plasmids makes them useful
tools in genetic engineering.
PLASMA MEMBRANE
· Also called cytoplasmic membrane
· It is a semi-permeable layer of phospholipids and proteins enclosing
the interior of the bacterium.
· Plasma membrane + cytoplasm = protoplast.
· Functions of prokaryotic plasma membrane:
Ø regulation of nutrient uptake, waste excretion, and protein
secretion
Ø site for respiration, photosynthesis, and the synthesis of lipids and
cell wall components
 RIBOSOMES
· Ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis.
· Cytoplasmic ribosomes make proteins to remain inside the cell
· Plasma membrane-associated ribosomes make proteins for transport
outside cell
· Prokaryotic ribosomes = 70S ribosomes
· eukaryotic ribosomes = 80S ribosomes
· ‘S’ stands for Svedberg unit.
Figure 3: The fluid mosaic model of a bacterial plasma membrane
THE CELL WALL
· Cell wall provides shape and protects cell from osmotic lysis.
· Bacterial cell wall is made of peptidoglycan (also called murein)
· Based on cell wall, Bacteria are divided the gram-positive and
gram-negative bacteria.
· Gram-positive cell wall is made of a thick layer of peptidoglycan.
· After gram-staining they appear purple (colour of crystal violet)
· Examples of gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus &
Streptococcus pneumoniae
· Gram-negative cell wall is more complex than gram-positive cell
wall
· made of thin layer of peptidoglycan + outer membrane
· After gram-staining they appear pink (colour of safranin).
· Examples of gram-negative bacteria: Neisseria gonorrhoeae,
Escherichia coli, etc
· The plasma membrane + peptidoglycan cell wall + outer
membrane (for gram-negative bacteria) = cell envelope
CAPSULES AND SLIME LAYERS
· Glycocalyx is a polysaccharide or polypeptide secreted outside the
cell wall
· Well-organized, intact glycocalyx = capsule
· Unorganized, diffuse glycocalyx = slime layer
Ø contains special receptor for detecting and responding to
chemicals in their surroundings
· Plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer according to the fluid
mosaic model.
· Phospholipids are amphipathic — that is, are both hydrophilic and
hydrophobic.
Figure 4: Diagram of a phospholipid showing
hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail
· Functions of the capsule:
Ø keeps the bacterium from drying out
Ø Protects bacterium from phagocytosis (engulfing) by larger
microorganisms.
Ø Major virulence factor in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
· Functions of the S-layer (surface layer or slime layer):
Ø Attachment of bacteria to form biofilms
Ø Protecting the cell against ion and pH fluctuations, osmotic stress,
enzymes, or predacious bacteria.
Ø Act as a food reserve for the cell.
FLAGELLA
· Flagella (singular, flagellum) are hairlike structures used for
locomotion.
· Beat in a propeller-like motion to move the bacterium toward
nutrients, away from toxic chemicals, or—in the case of the
photosynthetic cyanobacteria—toward light.
· Monotrichous bacteria = one flagellum; if it is located at an end, it
is said to be a polar flagellum.
· Amphitrichous bacteria = 1 flagellum at each pole.
· Lophotrichous bacteria = cluster of flagella at one or both ends.
· Peritrichous bacteria = flagella spread evenly over whole surface.
PILI AND FIMBRIAE

FIMBRIAE (singular, fimbria) PILLI (singular, pilus)

· These are short, fine, hair-like appendages which are thinner than
flagella,
· usually short in length
· Present in high numbers all over the cell (about 1,000).
· Facilitate attachment of bacterium to surface when forming biofilm.
· A few organisms (e.g. Myxococcus) use fimbriae for motility to
facilitate the assembly of multicellular structures such as fruiting
bodies
· These are hair-like appendages which are thinner than flagella,
· much longer than fimbriae
· relatively fewer in number (about 10 sex pilli per cell)
· Involved in the process of bacterial conjugation where they are
called conjugation pili or "sex pili".
· Type IV pili (non-sex pili) also aid bacteria in gripping surfaces.

Table 1: Summary of characteristics of typical bacterial cell structures

Structure Function(s) Predominant macromolecule

Flagella Swimming movement Protein

Sex pilus Stabilizes mating bacteria during DNA transfer by conjugation Protein

Common pili or fimbriae Attachment to surfaces; protection against phagotrophic Protein

engulfment

Capsules (includes Attachment to surfaces; protection against phagocytic Usually polysaccharide; occasionally
"slime layers" and engulfment; reserve of nutrients or protection against polypeptide
glycocalyx) desiccation

Gram-positive bacteria Prevents osmotic lysis of cell protoplast and confers rigidity Peptidoglycan (murein) complexed with
and shape on cells teichoic acids

Gram-negative bacteria Peptidoglycan prevents osmotic lysis and confers rigidity and Peptidoglycan (murein) surrounded by
shape; outer membrane is permeability barrier; associated LPS phospholipid protein-lipopolysaccharide
and proteins have various functions "outer membrane"

Plasma membrane Permeability barrier; transport of solutes; energy generation; Phospholipid and protein
location of numerous enzyme systems

Ribosomes Sites of translation (protein synthesis) RNA and protein

Inclusions Often reserves of nutrients; additional specialized functions Highly variable; carbohydrate, lipid, protein
or inorganic

Chromosome (nucleoid) Genetic material of cell DNA

Plasmid Extrachromosomal genetic material DNA