[Bacteria – Outline]

b. Bacilli (rod) Types

I. Morphology - Bacilli – single
- Study of shapes & arrangement of the - Diplobacilli – pairs
parts of organisms - Streptobacilli – groups forming a chain
- Determines their function, development,
and how they were shaped by evolution c. Spirillum (coiled) Types
- Spirillum – single
 3 Identified Species of Bacteria (out of 1650 - Microspira – very small
species) - Rhodospirillum – gram negative (pink) /
1. Eubacteria (single cell) 800-10nm
2. Higher bacteria (numerous) - Leptospira – thin / leptospirosis
3. True bacteria
- Most common & simplest d. Vibrio (comma) Categories
- Either spherical, ovoid, or rod shaped - Monomorphic – exhibits only single shape
- Responsible for causing diseases in / shows the same shape even with altered
humans environmental or physiological condition
- Polymorphic (pleomorphic) – exhibits
II. 5 Orders (Higher Bacteria) different shapes during environment or
1. Actinomyce – tales physiological changes
2. Chlamydo – bacteriales
3. Myxo – bacteriales
4. Spirochae – tales VI. Bacterial Colonies
5. Rickett – siales a. Appearance – the characteristics of the individual
bacterium observed/ important as bacteria are
III. Bacteria cultured
- microscopic living organisms – structurally b. Surface features – described by
very simple - Shape
- unicellular & thrives solitarily - Margin
- Edge
- Color
IV. Sizes (Bacteria) c. Determining morphology of the single colony –
- Range: 200nm in length to 1mm in important in describing and identifying
diameter microorganisms
1. Large
- Observed without the help of microscope VII. Forms, Elevations, & Margins (Bacterial
- Ex: thiomargaritya namibesis / Colonies)
epulopiscum fisheloni
2. Small
- Range: 5 and 0.5 um in length
- So minute – once considered to be viruses
- Size of smallest bacteria: 100-200nm in
diameter
 Bacilli – largest bacteria (5-8um in length)
 Cocci – smaller ones
1. Form
- Punctiform: dots
V. Shapes (Bacteria) - Circular: round circle
a. Spherical (cocci) – circular / round - Filamentous: bunch of thread like
b. Bacillus (bacilli) – elongated / rod-like - Irregular: not regular
c. Spirillum – spirally coiled - Rhizoid: branch like
d. Vibrio – comma shaped / rod shaped curved at one - Spindle: oval shaped
end 2. Elevation
 Vibrio Cholerae – important specie; some - Flat: thin line
bacteria tend to change shape according - Raised: slightly thicker than flat
to environmental changes - Convex: curved outward
- Pulvinate: swelled higher than convex
a. Spherical (Cocci) Types - Umbonate: protrude three
- Micrococcus – single 3. Margin
- Diplococcus – pairs - Entire: smooth convex
- Streptococcus – clusters (grape-like) - Undulate: wavy protrude
- Sarcina – cubical packets of 8 or more - Lobate: finger-like
- Erose: sharp edges like porcupine
 - Filamentous: bunch of thread like b. Cytoplasm
- Curled: curly layers of waves - its concentration greatly varies from the
concentration in the outside environment
VIII. Identification (Bacteria) due to the accumulation of solutes
 Appearance (of colony) differs with: c. Cell membrane
a. Stain (bacterial stain - very delicate elastic structure
b. Genus (bacterial species) - made of porous and rigid material with
high tensile strength
 Colony Morphology d. Murein (peptidoglycan or mucopeptide)
- Cannot be used as a way of identifying - the ubiquitous component of a bacterial
bacteria cell
- Many different bacteria when grown on - responsible for the rigidity and shape of
culture media – show similar colony cell
morphologies
I.1. 2 Groups of Bacteria (differs in composition)
IX. 3 Categories (Bacterial Cell Structure) a. Gram-Positive (+)
1. Appendages & Coverings - Thick cell wall (15-18nm)
- A projecting part of an invertebrate or - Peptidoglycan layers – lies at right angles
other living organism – with distinct to a group of molecules of teichoic acids
appearance or function - More sensitive to penicillin due to the
2. Cell envelope absence of shield of outer membrane of
- Complex “multilayered” structure peptidoglycan and is a more abundant
- Protect these organisms from their molecule
unpredictable and hostile environment b. Gram-Negative (-)
3. Internal structures - Thin cell wall (10nm)
- Inside the cell envelope - Single layer peptidoglycan enclosed by a
membranous structured called “outer
X. Architecture (Bacterial Cell) membrane”
 Prokaryote (structure) - Outer membrane – made of
- Simple compared to eukaryotes lipopolysaccharide (LPS) – serves as
- Carry out cellular functions endotoxins as they are not toxic to
- Comprises the essential structural animals
components (nucleoid or genetic
material, ribosomes, cell membrane, and II. Cytoplasmic Membrane
certain surface layer) - Delicate structure, encloses the cytoplasm
- Composed of phospholipid (40%) and
protein (60%)
XI. Anatomy of Bacteria - Facilitates the transportation of
a. Flagellum substances between the environment and
b. Capsule (gelatin like) the cell
c. Cell wall
d. Cell membrane  Phospholipids
e. Cytoplasm - have glycerol head that is water-soluble
f. Ribosomes region (hydrophilic) which is attached to
g. Nuclear Material (nucleoid) the fatty acid region (hydrophobic)
- are called amphipathic molecule (both
hydrophilic and phobic)
- molecules naturally form a “bilipid layer”
I. Cell Wall as the cytoplasm contains water
 Functions  Bilipid layer
a. Responsible – immunological distinction and - Where various structural and enzymatic
immunological variation proteins that carry out the most
b. Serves as – most important site for the attack by important functions of the membrane are
antibiotics dispersed
c. Facilitates – ligands as receptor sites for the  Fluid Mosaic Membrane
attachment of viruses - Typical arrangement of proteins &
phospholipids
 Structure
a. Prokaryotic cell II.1. 3 Main Groups of Protein
- has rigid cell wall - Plays a role in cellular activities
- protects cell’s protoplast from mechanical - Thru specific interactions with the
damage or lysis phospholipid molecules within the
 membrane, membrane proteins are
located in: VIII. External Structure
1. Integral 1. Capsule
- Firmly embedded in the membrane - Made of: polysaccharides
- Helps in transporting substances across - Serves as – protective covering for
the cytoplasmic membrane bacteria
2. Outer-surface - Keeps bacterium protected from
- Shield other conserved borrelial surface phagocytosis by larger microorganisms
antigens - Protects cell from desiccation (removal of
3. Inner-surface moisture)
- Facilitate uniport, symport, and antiport 2. Flagella
transport mechanisms - Hair-like propellers
- Composed of: helically coiled protein
III. Cytoplasm (protoplasm) subunits called “flagellin”
- Gelatinous liquid that fills inside the cell - Responsible for – cell’s movement
- Composed: water, salts, and various towards food and away from harmful
organic molecules substances

IV. Ribosomes
- Consist of RNA and protein IX. Types of Flagella (acc to distribution)
- Granular-shaped organelles – responsible 1. Mono-trichous – one flagellum at only one end
for protein synthesis 2. Lopo-trichous – cluster of flagella at only one end
- Some float freely in the cytoplasm – 3. Amphi-trichous – flagella at both ends
responsible for reading the instructions 4. Peri-trichous – flagella around the cell
on the DNA and direction the production
of bacterial protein of interest X. Properties of Flagella
- After protein is obtained – they detach 1. Chemo-taxis – movement dependent on chemical
away from the DNA and again float freely stimuli
in the cytoplasm 2. Magneto-taxis – movement due to earth’s
- Active only when the 2 subunits (30S and magnetic field
50S) are combined together – magnesium 3. Photo-taxis – movement dependent on differences
ion and chemical energy are required for in light density
attaching to make ribosome functional

 Bacterial cell – contains 70S ribosomes I. Endospore

 Eukaryotic cell – contains 80S ribosomes - When environment become unfavorable
due to lack of nutrients, microorganisms
V. Genome should adapt to changes
- Most important component in the - Survival strategy adapted by low guanin
cytoplasm and cytosine gram-positive bacteria
- Location: central region of the cell - Can withstand any extreme condition, in
(nucleoid) which normally no bacterium would be
able to survive
 Functions
- Controls all the functions of bacterial cell  Structural Components
- Aids in the production of desired proteins
– which are needed for the survival of
bacterial cell

VI. Nucleoid (nucleus-like)

- Irregular-shaped region of a prokaryotic
cell
- Contains: all or most of the genetic
material
- Not surrounded by a nuclear membrane
- Region of cytoplasm where chromosomal
DNA lies

VII. Chromosome a. Exosporium – outermost layer; made of protein

- A DNA molecule – with part or all of the b. Spore coat – made of several layers of spore-
genetic material (genome) of an organism specific proteins
c. Cortex – loosely cross-linked peptidoglycan
d. Core wall – consist of cellular compartments
 - Brownian movement of bacteria – seen
under microscope
II. Steps in Formulation (sporulation) of - True motility – if bacterial cells swim from
Endospore: one side to another
1. Replication – of bacterial DNA 4. Direct microscopic examination
Result – protrusion of plasma membrane between
the replicated chromosomes IV. Importance of Bacterial Motility
Formation – of forespore 1. Chemotactic behavior
2. Calcium & dipicolinic acid – formed in the cortex - Tendency of bacteria to move towards
enclose the forespore chemical attractants
Result – formation of second membrane - Helps bacteria survive by selecting
3. Endospore – gets enclosed in external spore coat suitable environment
that lies between the inner and outer membrane 2. Root colonization
4. Once endospore – is formed - Establishment of bacteria in rhizosphere
Bacterial cell – is dormant region
5. Bacterium – does not metabolize food or - Ex: pseudomonads & azospirilla
reproduce but: 3. Pathogenesis
It exist – in an inert form during dormant stage - Organism should be motile to infect a
6. Endospore – germinates into a new bacterium host and colonize all over the host;
when condition turn favorable moving faster, get attached to host tissue,
and start to colonize if motile
III. Endospore Staining 4. Twitching motility
- A smear of bacteria (capable of forming - Jumping type motility - although some
endospore) is prepared bacteria don’t have flagella
- Smear – is then subjected to straining - Seen on semi-solid media; observed in
with malachite green Acinetobacter SPP
- Slide – heated on a water bath
- Stained endospore-forming cells –
observed under a microscope

I. Bacterial Motility
- Ability of organism to move by itself
- Important characteristic of bacteria
- Average speed of bacteria: 50mm per sec

II. Types of Bacterial Motility

1. Spirochaetal
- Movements: creeping, spinning,
swimming, or flexing – like flexible helical
rod in the air
- Facilitated by flagella-like axial filaments
2. Gliding
- Secretes slimy substance and uses it for
locomotion by gliding on surfaces
- Seen in bacteria that lack flagellar
structure

III. Detection of Bacterial Motility

1. Flagellar staining
- Flagella are stained – Leifson’s Method
- Dye will be used to precipitate protein
filament making the flagella visible under
microscope and demonstrates
arrangement of flagellin
2. Motility test
- Whether bacterium is motile or non-
motile
3. Wet mount process
- Drop of water from pond placed on a
clean cover slip (observed under 400x or
1000x)