Review

The Prokaryotic Cell

 much simpler than the eukaryotic cell except (at the level of): Cell envelope

Prokaryotic cell
a. Nucleoid
 does not have a demarkating membrane
 not a true nucleus but still the part where the DNA of the bacterial cell can be found
b. Cytoplasm
c. Cell wall, Cell membrane and Mesosome
 all part of the cell envelope
*There is no endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and other organelles but there are granules and
vesicles
Non-essential components (based on the illustration above):
a. Pili
b. Flagella

Essential Components of the Bacterial Cell:

A. Cell Envelope
 composed of all layer that surround the prokaryotic cell
 includes the plasma membrane and the cell wall
o there will be other parts whether the organism is Gram positive or Gram negative

o disregard the capsule because it is not part of the cell envelope; it is a non-
essential component that may or may not be found in a particular bacterium
Parts of the Cell envelope
Gram stain
 differentiates bacteria into Gram positive or Gram negative bacteria
 o Reason for the difference in staining pattern: their cell wall have a different make up
 basic stain developed by Christian Gram

Comparison between Gram positive and gram negative bacteria

Gram (+) Gram (-)
Gram stain Blue/purple Pink
Cytoplasmic membrane or Plasma
membrane Cytoplasmic membrane or Inner
*not called an inner membrane because membrane
they don’t have an outer membrane
Peptidoglycan layer Very thick Thin
Periplasmic space
- space between the
Not prominent Prominent
inner and outer
membrane
Outer membrane contains the
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer
Capsule is present in some organisms
(Ex: Streptococcus pneumonia,
Clostridium perfringens)

Test to determine encapsulated

bacteria:

Neufeld Quellung Reaction

Principle: Capsule in some (Neiserria
Anticapsular antibodies present in the gonorrheae)
serum reacts with carbohydrate
material of the pneumococcal capsule,
causing a microprecipitin reaction on
the surface of the Streptococcus
pneumoniae.This antigen-antibody
reaction causes a change in the
refractive index of the capsule so that
it appears “swollen” and more visible

Special components: Special components:

Teichoic acid Outer membrane with
Lipoteichoic acid phospholipids
Teichuronic acid Lipoproteins
Polysaccharides Lipopolysaccharides
 Gram (+) cell envelope
Gram (-) cell envelope
Cytoplasmic membrane
 inner most portion of the cell envelope
 found inside/within the peptidoglycan layer
 a phospholipid bilayer which is similar in appearance to that found in the eukaryotic cells with
slight differences:
o Eukaryotic cell membranes contain sterols but prokaryotic cells do not EXCEPT
Mycoplasma spp and Ureaplasma spp
 structure: phospholipids and proteins
  Functions:
o Selective permeability and transport of solutes:
o Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation
 in eukaryotes, these processes take place in mitochondria, but prokaryotes do not
have this organelle therefore, cell membrane is considered as the powerhouse of
the prokaryotic cells
o Excretion of hydrolytic enzymes
 hydrolytic enzymes add to the virulence of the organism because it will destroy
human tissues in order for the bacteria to become more invasive (ex:
Hyaluronidase)
o Site of enzymes and carrie molecules that function in the synthesis of: DNA, cell wall
polymers and membrane lipids which are important to maintain cell function
o Bears receptors for other proteins for the communication of bacteria to its environment
o Contributes to synthesis of precursor substances of the cell wall

Mesosome
 invagination of the plasma membrane
 participates in cell division and secretion