Characterization and Classification

of PROKARYOTES
A. General Characteristic of Prokaryotic Organism

1. Morphology of Prokaryotic Cells

Basic shapes:
▪
a. cocci - are not perfectly spherical (roughly
spherical) e.g. pointed, kidney-shaped,
and oval
▪
b. bacilli - rod-shaped, also vary in shapes
e.g. pointed, spindle-shaped, thread like
(filamentous)
▪
c. spiral - are either spirilla (stiff) or spirochetes
(flexible)
Other than the basic shapes:

a.vibrios - slightly curved

b.coccobacillus - intermediate between

cocci and bacilli

c.star-shaped

d.triangular

e.square - e.g. Haloarcula “saltbox”

f.pleomorphic - vary in shape and size

2. Reproduction of Prokaryotes

- ALL prokaryotes reproduce

ASEXUALLY; none reproduce sexually

- The most common method of

asexual reproduction is binary fission.
Snapping Division (a variation of binary
fission)

- only the inner portion of the cell wall is

deposited across the dividing cell and the
thickening of this new transverse wall puts
a tension on the outer layer of the old cell
wall, which still holds the two cells
together. Eventually, as the tension
increases, the outer cell wall breaks at its
weakest point with snapping movement
that tear it most all the way around

e.g. Clostridium diphtheriae Klebs Loffler

-

(v-shapes and side by side bacillus

Goramti
arrangement called palisade)
rod shaped bacterium
Other Methods of Reproduction
A. Actinomycetes- produce spores at the end of the filamentous cells
B. Fragmentation - breaking into smaller motile filaments that glide away from the parental strand
C. Budding - an outgrowth of the original cell (a bud) receives a copy of the genetic material and
enlarges
3. Arrangements of Prokaryotic Cell
- results from 2 aspects of division during
binary fission
a. the planes in which the cells divide
b. whether or not daughter cells separate
completely or remain attach to each
other

1. streptococci - long chains of cocci

2. tetrads - cocci that divides in two
planes and remain attached
3. sarcinae - divide in 3 planes to form
cuboidal packets
4. staphylococci - form when the planes of
cell division are random; clusters which looks
like bunches of grapes

Bacilli are less varied in their arrangements than

cocci because bacilli divide transversely- that is,
perpendicular to the long axis
4. Endospores
- “ spores” but not reproductive spores; a defensive strategy against hostile environment extremely
resistant to drying, heat, radiation and lethal chemicals the process of endospore formation is called
sporulation- which requires 8-10 hrs. and proceeds in 7 steps.

. Factors that serve to stabilized DNA and proteins, protecting

from adverse conditions :

a. double membrane
b. spore coats
c. dipicolinic acid
d. calcium
e. DNA binding proteins
B. Modern Prokaryotic Classification
- based on similarities of rRNA sequences (Bergey’s Manual)

C. Survey of Archaea

Common features of archaea that distinguishes them from bacteria:

a. lack peptidoglycan in their cell wall

b. their cell membrane lipids have branched hydrocarbon chains

c. the initial amino acid in their polypeptide chain, coded by the

AUG start codon, is methionine ( as in eukaryotes and in
contrast to the N-formyl methionine used by bacteria )
2 phyla based on rRNA sequences:
a. Crenarchaeota b. Euryarchaeoata

1. Extremophiles- microbes that require extreme conditions of temperature, pH, and or salinity to survive

a. Thermophiles- live at temperature over 450C; hyperthermophiles live over 800C mostly crenarchaeota
3 genera:
1. Acidanus - sulfur-rich, acidic hot springs
2. Pyrodictium - deep-sea hydrothermal vents
3. Sulfolobus - pleomorphic
 Pyrodictium

Hyperthermophile
b. Halophiles- inhabits extremely saline habitats (absolute dependence on
>9.5% NaCl to maintain cell wall integrity; optimum: 17-23; 35% NaCl ) mostly
euryarcheaota
e.g. Halobacterium salinarium - with bacteriorhodopsins

2. Methanogens- obligate anaerobes; largest group; mostly mesophilic, a few thermophilic

e.g. Methanopyrus - 980C (optimum temperature) - 1100C seawater around

submarine hydrothermal vents
Methanobacterium - living in colon of animals Halophiles
 D. Survey of Bacteria
- based on the differences in their 16 rRNA sequences

1. Deeply Branching Bacteria- live in habitat similar during early earth

“
e.g. Aquifex (P. Aquifice-earliest)
Deinococcus (P. “Deinococcus-Thermus”) - extremely resistant to
radiation; found in radioactive wastes

Aquifex

Deinococcus-Thermus
2. Phototrophic Bacteria- absorbs light (photosynthetic lamellae) thylakoids

“
 Cyanobacteria

Sulfur deposits
“
 Clostridium tetani

“ Clostridia
“
Thiomargarita namibiensis (“sulfur pearl of Namibia”)

spherical cells about 0.1 to 0.3mm in diameter

“
but some as large as 0.75mm
“
Veillonella parvula

Mycoplasma
“
“ Bacillus polymyxa Bacillus licheniformis

Bacillus anthracis Bacillus cereus

“
Actinomyces
Glucanobacter
 Plant Gall

Caulobacter
Neisseria
Pseudomonas
Desulfovibrio
Myxospores
Vibrio