Bacteria

= **__﻿﻿ __**Ba﻿c﻿te﻿ria =

﻿**//B﻿y ﻿J﻿ake ﻿Naar//**


 * Someone may ask...What are bacteria? **

﻿Well, Bact﻿eria are microscopic organisms whose single cells do not have membrane-bound organelles. The term, prokaryote, has become so widely used, that we commonly associate it with bacteria. Prokaryotes are unicellular organisms that lack a nucleus and can live in any habitat possible. They are 1/100th of a millimeter small, which is so small that you need to use a light microscope to see them.


 * Prokaryotic Cell **

The cell shown above is a prokaryotic cell. The 7 different parts each have their own function within the cell:
 * Cell Wall - Provides protection and allows for the bacteria to stick to bacteria or other cells.
 * Cell Membrane - Controls what enters and exits the cell.
 * Ribosomes - Makes proteins using DNA and RNA.
 * Pilli - Provides cell-to-cell contact.
 * DNA - Genetic information.
 * Flagella - Provides movement.
 * Peptidoglycan - A carbohydrate and protein molecule that is inside the cell walls of eubacteria. It is also a useful drug target.


 * Eubacteria Vs. Archaebacteria **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">﻿ **
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Archaebac﻿teria ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Both ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Eubacteria ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">NO peptidoglycan || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Small || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Peptidoglycan ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">DNA sequences of archaebacterial || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Lack nuclei || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Live everywhere ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Live in harsh conditions || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Cell walls, cell membranes, ribosomes, DNA || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Most common/Largest kingdom of prokaryotes ||


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Methanogens **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Methanogens are a group of archaebacteria that live in oxygen-free environments, marshes, mud, cow intestines. They also produce mathane gas.


 * **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Scientific Name ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Shape ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Cocci || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Spherical-shaped ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacilli || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Rod-shaped ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Spirilla || <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Spiral and corkscrew-shaped ||

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 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Other Important Facts to Note... **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">[[image:Flagella.jpg width="240" height="341" align="right" caption="Flagella"]]Bacteria Movement **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Some bacteria use flagellum, whiplike structures, while others lash, snake, or even spiral foward. There are other bacteria that glide along a layer of slime-like material that they create.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">﻿**Aerobes and Anaerobes**

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Obligate anaerobes require a constant supply of oxygen to survive. Obligate anaerobes do not require oxygen to survive. Facultative anaerobes can survive with or without oxygen.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria Reproduction **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria can reproduce approximately every 1-3 hours. Some can reproduce as quickly as 20 minutes.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Preventing Bacteria Reproduction **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The availability of food and waste products prevents bacteria from reproducing out of control.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria Cell Division **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The cell division in bacteria is called binary fission. Binary fission is when an organism replicates its DNA, divides in half, which produces an end result of two identical daughter cells. This process is also known as asexual reproduction. Isn't this process similar to the way eukaryotic cells reproduce?


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria and Genetic Diversity **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">They perform conjugation, in which a hollow bridge forms between two bacterial cells, and genes move from one cell to the other. DNA is exchanged during this process. Conjugation can also occur between different species.

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<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">A spore is a structure that is formed when the growth conditions become unfavorable. Spore formation is advantageous because they make it possible for some bacteria to survive harsh conditions. When conditions improve, bacteria become active again.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Spore Advantages **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria can be beneficial... **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Bacteria can be beneficial to our society by capturing energy by way of photosynthesis, breaking down the nutrients in dead matter and the atmosphere, and others can convert inorganic nitrogen into organic nitrogen.



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<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Here is a link to an animation about bacterial conjugation...

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/animations/conjugation/conj_frames.htm

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