CHAPTER 2

Bacteriology

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteriology

• Bacteriology means the study of bacteria . Bacteria are

prokaryotic cells (unicellular organisms with no a
nucleus) with simple structures that typically range in
size from about 0.5 to 20 micrometers.

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 Bacteria Characteristics
1. The bacterium cell is a prokaryotic cell.
2. Bacterium cell are very small (approximately 0.1to 10.0
μm)
3. Bacteria are widely distributed. It found in soil, air,
water, and living bodies.
4. Some bacteria cause diseases for animals and plants.
5. Some bacteria live in our bodies as normal flora which
harmless.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Normal Flora

• Normal flora: Species of bacteria that colonize the

human body and do not normally cause disease. Normal
flora may cause some problems if it displaced or
depleted because of using antibiotics. Organisms of the
normal flora are normally found on surface tissues (i.e.,
the skin, mucous membranes, the gastrointestinal
system, and vagina).

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Functions of Normal Flora
1. They perform important metabolic functions e.g.
a. Synthesis of vit. K.
b. Conversion of bile pigments and bile acids.
c. Absorption of nutrients from the intestine.
2. They inhibit colonization and infection by pathogenic
bacteria as they:
a. Interfere with bacterial adherence.
b. Maintain inhibitory PH in vagina and skin.
c. Compete for essential nutrients.
d. Produce inhibitory substances e.g. fatty acids and
colicins.
Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Prokaryotic

Prokaryotic cells characteristics:

a. They lacks the nuclear envelope so there is no nucleus.
b. There is no nucleolus.
c. Have simple enzyme system and lack most of the
cellular organelles like mitochondria.
d. Reproduce by binary fission (simple dividing process)
e. Found in bacteria ad Cyanobacteria.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Eukaryotic

Eukaryotic cells characteristics:

a. Have nuclear envelope and cellular organelles.
b. Have nucleolus.
c. Have complex enzyme system.
d. Reproduce by simple and complex processes.
e. All the living cells are eukaryotic cells except that of
bacteria.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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Bacterial Structure

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 Bacteria Structure
A. Cell envelope
1. Cell membrane (plasma membrane)
It is a semi permeable membrane that surrounds the
cytoplasm of all bacterial cells, it composed of two
layers of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrate. Its
main function is to maintain a constant environment
within the interior of the cell by controlling the transport
mechanism between the cell and the surrounding
medium.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)

2. Cell wall
A structure surrounding the cell, composed of
Peptidoglycan (polysaccharides and proteins).
Peptidoglycanis responsible for the rigidity of the
bacterial cell wall and for the determination of cell
shape. There are two main types of bacterial cell walls,
Gram positive and Gram negative, which are
differentiated by their Gram staining characteristics.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)
3. Capsule
It is a gelatinous layer outside the cell wall of some
species. It is composed of polysaccharides. It increase
the Pathogenicity of bacteria because capsulated
bacteria are not easy to be destroyed by host cell.
Capsules are not usually stained by gram stain.
4. Flagella
Flagellum is an appendage of the cell membrane that
helps in bacterial movement, and can play a role in the
production of disease. It is composed of a single protein
called flagellin.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)

5. Pili (synonym: fimbriae)

These are hair like filaments that extend from the cell
surface. They are shorter and thinner that flagella and
composed of a protein called pilin. They are found
mainly on gram negative bacteria. They help bacteria
to adhere together and to the surface of host cell.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)
B. Intracellular Structures
1. Cytoplasm
Which is a fluid that fills the cell. The ribosome and
other internal structures are impeded in cytoplasm. All
the internal biochemical activities are occur within it.
2. Nuclear material
Electron microscope showed that the bacterial genetic
material is composed of a bundle of a double stranded
DNA molecule (chromosome) that not surrounds by a
nuclear membrane.
The chromosome carries the genetic information and it
duplicates before cell division.
Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)
3. Plasmids
These are extra chromosomal double stranded circular
DNA that are capable of replicating independent of the
bacterial chromosome. It helps bacteria to resist
antibiotics.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)
4. Ribosomes
Ribosome is cellular organelle that found is in
cytoplasm. Its function is to synthesize proteins
for the bacterial cell.
5. Inclusion granules
They are found in cytoplasm. They serve as energy and
nutrient reservoirs. They may be rich in lipids and
carbohydrates.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Structure (Cont’d)
6. Endospores
These are small thick walls formed in the cytoplasm
that helps to resist the unfavorite environmental
conditions like depletion of nutrients, heat, and
dryness. The spores formation occurs by the
development of an ingrowth of the cytoplasmic
membrane cutting off a portion if the cytoplasm. Then
a thick cortex and a tough spore coat are formed.
Endospores Spores are commonly found in the genera
Bacillus and Clostridium.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Shapes
There are three basic shapes:
1. Coccus: An average coccus is about 0.5-1.0
micrometer (µm) in diameter.
2. Rod or bacillus: An average bacillus is 0.5-1.0 µm
wide by 1.0-4.0 µm long.
3. Spiral: Spirals range in size from 1 µm to over 100 µm
in length.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria Shapes

• Spiral • Coccus

• Rod

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 Gram Reactions

1. Gram-positive
Gram-positive bacteria have a relatively thick layer of
Peptidoglycan and can retain a crystal violet-iodine
complex when treated with acetone or alcohol, and
appear blue-black or purple when stained using
Gram's method.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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A Gram-positive cell

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 Gram Reactions (Cont’d)
2. Gram-negative
Gram-negative bacteria have a thin layer of
Peptidoglycan and cannot retain the crystal violet-
iodine complex.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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A Gram-negative cell

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 Basic Nutritional Requirements
1. Oxygen Requirements 
a. Obligate aerobe: Bacteria grow only on the presence
of O2.
b. Microaerophilic: These bacteria will grow in low
oxygen concentrations.
c. Obligate anaerobe: Grow in the absence of free O2.
d. Facultative anaerobes: Grow in the presence or
absence of O2.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Nutritional Requirements (cont’d)
2. Nutrient Requirements
- Autotrophs: Obtain carob and/or sugar from sunlight
or chemical reactions.
- Heterotrophs: Obtain carob and/or sugar from the
environment.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Nutritional Requirements (cont’d)
3. Temperature
According to the optimal temperature, bacteria are
classified into 3 groups:
a. Psychrophiles: These live in low temperature
(< 20°C)
b. Mesophiles: These live in moderate temperature(20-
40°C)
c. Thermophiles: These live in high temperature (>
45°C)

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Nutritional Requirements (cont’d)
4. PH
Most bacteria grow at narrow range of PH (7.2- 7.6).
a. Acidophiles are bacteria that grow optimally under
acidic conditions (pH < 7.0)
b. Alkaphiles prefer alkaline or basic conditions (pH >
7.0).

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Bacteria, Growth & Reproduction
Bacteria grow and replicate in a process known as binary fission.
The typical Bacterial Growth Curve includes 4 phases:
1. Lag phase: It is the first phase during which no cell division occurs.
Bacterial cells adapt to the new environment so they don’t divide but
they are metabolically active.
2. Logarithmic phase: After the cells adjusted to the new
environment, rapid cell division occurs and the number of the cells
increase steadily by the time.
3. Stationary phase: The growth rate slows as nutrients become
exhausted and waste products accumulate. The rate of the bacterial
growth equals the rate of bacterial death. The number of bacterial
cells remains constant.
4. Decline phase(Death phase): Bacteria run out of nutrients and die.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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Bacterial Growth Curve

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 Binary Fission
Binary fission is the process by which a bacteria
grow and replicate.
Bacteria can exchange genetic materials via conjugation.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Binary Fission (Cont’d)
Stages of binary fission:
1. The bacterial chromosome attaches to the cell
membrane.
2. The chromosome duplicates.
3. The 2 copies of the chromosome still attach to the cell
membrane.
4. The bacterial cell begins narrowing at the middle.
5. The narrowing continue until the cell divides into two
new cells.

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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Binary Fission

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 Common Bacterial Infections
1. Staphylococcus: a gram-positive bacteria .
- S. aureus e.g. food poisoning, impetigo, and furuncles (boils).
- S. epidermidis. e.g. endocarditis.
2. Streptococcus. a gram-positive bacteria.
e.g. Pharyngitis, scarlet fever, and rheumatic fever.
- S. pneumonia is a common cause of bacterial pneumonia and
meningitis.
3. Neisseria.
- N. gonorrhoea is the causative agent of gonorrhoea.
- N. meningitides is a leading cause of adult meningitis.
Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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 Common Bacterial Infections (Cont’d)

4. Escherichia. E. coli. e. g. gastroenteritis, UTIs and

neonatal meningitis.
5. Salmonella. E.g. enteritis.
- S. typhi . e, g. typhoid fever.
6. Vibrio.
- V. cholera. E.g. cholera.
7. Clostridium.
- C. tetani e.g. tetanus (lockjaw)

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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The End

Nabeel Al-Mawajdeh RN.MCS

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