Structure and classification of bacteria

Level 200 MLS

By

Dr Bisong Calvin E.
 Learning objectives

1. Describe the structure of a bacterium,

2. Classify bacteria based on their internal and external structures,

3. Differentiate gram positive bacterial cell wall from gram negative

bacterial cell wall.

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 Classification of bacteria of medical importance

Bacteria are classified by:

• Morphology

• Cell wall content and Gram reaction

• Cultural characteristics

• Biochemical characteristics

• Antibiotic sensitivity

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 Classification of bacteria of medical importance

Reminder:

• Bacteria are prokaryotic (have a primitive nucleus), unicellular microorganisms 0.1-10 micrometers in
size

• Contain both DNA and RNA

• Multiply by binary fission

• One chromosome

• No nuclear membrane

• No mitochondria

• No Ribosome 70 S

• Have extra piece of DNA (plasmids). 4

Generalised bacterial structure

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 Classification of bacteria based on morphology

Shapes:

• Spherical/oval: cocci

• Rods: bacilli

• very short bacilli: coccobacilli

• Tapered end: fusiform

• Club-shaped/curved: vibrio

• Helical/spiral: spirochaetes

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 Arrangements
Among Cocci

• Pairs: diplococci

• Chains: Streptococci

• Clusters: Staphylococci

• In four: tetrads

• Pallisades: Corynebacterium

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Arrangements of bacteria

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 Major structures of bacteria cell wall and appendages

Cell wall
• Bacteria are cells with rigid cell wall which surrounds cytoplasmic membrane and
internal structures.
• Functions of cell wall
- Rigidity
- Shapes bacteria
- Protection
-Porous / permeable to LMW molecules
-Cell division
- Antigenic determinants
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 Structure of bacterial cell wall

Two groups of cell wall depending on reaction to GRAM STAIN

• Gram positive bacteria and Gram negative bacteria

Chemical Structure of Cell Wall:

• Peptidoglycan : rigid part , mucopeptide composed of alternating strands of N-

acetyl muramic acid and N- acetyle glucosamine linked with peptide sub units.

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 Structure of bacterial cell wall

Gram Positive Cell Wall:

• Peptidoglycan thicker than Gram negative bacteria,

• Closely associated with cytoplasmic membrane,

• Techoic acid anchores cell wall to cell membrane , epithelial cell adhesion,

• Antigens - polysaccharides (Lancefield),

• Protein (Griffith).
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 Gram-positive bacteria cell wall

• Thick peptidoglycan cell wall structure, with intertwined chains of teichoic acid
emerging at the cell surface,

• Organization of underlying cytoplasmic membrane shows bilayer

phospholipids, transmembrane and inner and outer leaflet proteins,

• Transmembrane proteins involved in active transport, and proton channel,

• Examples: Strepotococci, Staphylococci, etc.

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Gram positive cell wall

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 Structure of bacterial cell wall

Gram Negative Cell Wall:

• Thin Peptidoglycan

• Outer membrane that contains

- specific proteins (porins) important in the transport of hydrophilic molecules

- lipopolysaccharide lipid (ENDOTOXIN)

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 Gram-negative cell wall

• Depicts lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of the outer leaflet of the outer membrane organized to
form a bilayer with phospholipids and the porin proteins,

• Note that lipid A of LPS is imbedded in the membrane, and the polysaccharides in LPS are
outside of the membrane and cover the exterior of the cell,

• The outer membrane proteins form a pore allowing passage of small molecules (up to about
600-700 molecular weight),

• Other OM proteins lipoprotein attached to the underlying peptidoglycan forms an anchor

with OM lipids,

• Examples: Escherichia, Salmonella, etc. 15

Gram negative bacteria cell wall

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 External Structures of bacteria

• They protrude from the cell into the environment,

• Include flagella, pili, fimbriae, capsule.

Flagella: helical filaments composed of protein flagellin, on Gram+ and Gram – bacteria,

• Distribution of flagella:

- Monotrichous or polar (A): single polar flagellum,

- Peritrichous (D): numerous flagella all over the cell,

- Lophotrichous: tufts of flagella at one pole (B),

- Amphitrichous: flagella at both poles (C),

- Amphilophotrichous: tuft of flagella at both ends. 17

Distribution of bacterial flagella

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 External Structures of bacteria

Pili:

• Fine short filaments extruding from cytoplasmic membrane

• Found on the surface of many Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria.

• Composed of protein pilin.

• Two classes:

1- Common pili (fimbriae) covers the surface, responsible for adhesion and colonization,

2- Sex pili in some bacteria only, responsible for conjugation.

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External structures of bacteria

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 External Structures of bacteria

Capsule:

• Amorphous material surrounds bacteria.

• Usually polysaccharide

• Occasionally protein

• Function

- Inhibits phagocytosis

- acts as virulence factor in some bacteria by assessing attachment to the surfaces.

Cytoplasmic membrane (cell membrane):

• Double layered structure composed of phospholipid protein

• Acts as semi- permeable membrane (passive diffusion)

• Site of numerous enzymes involved in active transport of nutrients and various metabolic processes 21
 Internal structures of bacteria

Mesosomes:

• Convoluted invaginations of cytoplasmic membrane,

• Involved in DNA segregation during cell division, respiratory activity,

• Contain receptors involved in chemotaxis,

• Permeability barrier, i.e. controls active transport of solutes.

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 Internal structures

Core: Composed of Cytoplasmic inclusions, nucleoid, ribosome

i. Cytoplasmic inclusions

• Nutritional storage granules, e.g.

- Volutin

- Lipid

- Starch / or Glycogen

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 Internal structures

Nucleoid (nuclear body):

• Circular single stranded chromosome (bacteria genome or DNA)

• No nuclear membrane

• DNA undergoes semi-conservative replication, bidirectional from a fixed point.

Ribosomes:

• Distributed throughout the cytoplasm,

• Site of protein synthesis,

• Composed of RNA and protein,

• Organized into 30s and 50s subunits. 24

 Bacterial spores

• Small, dense, metabolically inactive, non-reproductive structures produced by

Bacillus and Clostridium,

• Enables the bacteria to survive adverse environmental conditions,

• Contain high concentration of Calcium dipicolonate,

• Resistant to heat, desiccation and disinfectants,

• Often remain associated with the cell wall.

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 Bacterial spores

Described as;

1- Terminal spores: Projecting and spherical,

2- Sub-terminal spores: non projecting and ovoid,

3- Central spores: non-projecting and ovoid,

• Germinate when growth conditions become favorable to produce vegetative cells.

• Spore preparations are used for checking the efficacy of autocalves, eg B. subtilis, B.
sterothermophilus.

• Free spores are also possible.

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 Conclusion

Based on structure, bacteria can be classified as:

• Cocci,

• Bacilli,

• Gram +,

• Gram -,

• Flagellated or non flagellated,

• Spore forming or non-spore forming,

• Etc.
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 SAQs

1. Use seven structural characteristics to classify bacteria

2. Explain the fundamental structural differences between Gram

positive and Gram negative bacteria.

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