Taxonomy

(classification of
organisms)

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 Early classifications
Aristotle-He was a Greek philosopher
He divided the organisms into 2 main
groups namely plants and animals .
His system was used in 1600s .
Aristotle is also considered as the
father of biology and father of zoology
.

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 Carolus Linnaeus(Carl von Linne) 1707-1778.

He classified organisms on the basis of similarities in the

body form and body design mainly into two main kingdoms
a) animal Kingdom b) plant Kingdom .

However his classification system is not used today ,it is also

known as two Kingdom classification .

Linnaeus proved to be a great contributor in formulating

the binomial nomenclature(Scientific naming of organisms ).

He is also known as father of taxonomy

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 Two kingdom classification :

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 Famous books
of Linneaus

philosophia
botanica(1751)
species
plantarum
(1753)
systema
naturae (1758)

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 Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919)

He gave three Kingdom classification .

A new Kingdom called protista was added to

the earlier two Kingdom classification in
1866.

Protista are single celled organisms which

were neither animal nor plant .

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 Three kingdom classification

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 R.H. Whittaker(1920 -1980)

The most accepted classification that came

into light was the five Kingdom clasification
system in 1969 given by Robert Harding
Whittaker.

He recognized that fungi belong to a

separate Kingdom.

however five Kingdom classification is still

under dispute.

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 Five – kingdom classification

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 Classification hierarchy
Carl Linneaus gave the concept of taxonomic ranks in the classification system .
There were seven taxonomic ranks in which he classified all the organisms .
Kingdom
phylum or division
class
order
family
genus
species

When we descend down in a hierarchy ,we tend to get the organisms which are
more closer in body characteristics and design ,or we can say they are more
similar in terms of biological classification .

Then we ascend in a hierarchy we get more diversity between the organisms .

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 Kingdom – Monera

It includes unicellular prokaryotic organisms

Example – bacteria

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 Bacteria –
Kingdom – Monera
Unicellular Prokaryotic
Discovery – Leeuwenhoek

Structure -

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 Nucleoid = central circle of DNA
(1 chromosome)

Plasmids = extrachromosomal DNA; these can provide

resistance to antibiotics.

Cell membrane = Protein and lipid

Cell wall = rigid layer of peptidoglycan (polypeptides &

sugar chains)

Mesosomes = Infoldings of plasma membrane . They

help in respiration.

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 Shapes of Bacteria -

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 Types –
1. Archaebacteria –
Ancient bacteria

Lives in most harsh habitats such as

Salty areas – Halophiles

Hot Springs – Thermoacidophiles

Marshy areas – Methanogens ( also present in

gut of ruminants e.g., cows and buffaloes)

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 2. Eubacteria – True bacteria

Two types

(a) Autotrophic bacteria – Photosynthetic

( Cyanobacteria or blue green algae)

e.g., Nostoc and Anabaena- N2- fixing Cyanobacteria ( they have

special cell called heterocyst for N2- fixation

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 (b) Heterotrophic bacteria – Most abundant in nature
→Decomposers
→Diseases in plants and human
→Useful –

e.g., Escherichia coli – Vit –B and Vit – K

Lactobacillus – Curd
Acetobacter aceti – Acetic acid
Clostridium butylicum – Butyric acid
Methanobacterium –Biogas
Streptococcus – Streptokinase ( Remove blood clotting)

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 Rhizobium = N2-fixation ( Symbiotic)
Azobacter and Azospirillum= N2-fixation
(Free-living)

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 ❑ Fungi Generally multicellular organisms .
e.g., Yeast
Unicellular fungi.
Rich in vit -B
Used in baking industry
Used in making alcohol.
Mushroom – Rich in protein
Rhizopus – Also called bread would
Neurospora – Also called pink moula.
Penicillium – 1st Antibiotnc Penicillin obtained from it
By Alexander Flemming

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 Virus (Latin – Virus =Poison )
Connecting link between living and non –
living.
Viruses reproduce by infecting their host
cells and reprogramming them to become
virus-making "factories.“

Discovery – Iwanowsky
Term virus was coined by – Pasteur
The first virus to be discovered was –
Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)

Smallest Virus – Foot and Mouth Virus (10

nm)
The smallest plant virus – Alfalfa Mosaic
Virus (17 nm)
The largest Virus – Better Yellow ( 1250 × 40
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 Protista

Kingdom of simple eukaryotic organisms usually

composed of a single cell or a colony of similar cells

protista, live in water in moist terrestrial habitats,

And as parasites and other symbionts in the bodies
of multicellular eukaryotes .

Example amoeba ,euglena, paramecium etc.

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 Types –
Viruses are divided into three groups
Plant viruses (Phytophagineae ) – They cause
disease in plants

Ex – TMV , Potato Mosaic Virus, Tomato leaf Curl

Virus
Note – Majority of plant viruses have RNA as
genetic material but many possess DNA (e.g. ,
Cauliflower Mosaic Virus)
Animal Viruses ( Zoo- phagineae )

They cause disease in animals including human

beings.
Ex - Polio- myelitis Virus , Influenza Virus , Small
pox Virus ,Rhino Viruses (common cold viruses)
Note – Majority of animal viruses have DNA as
genetic material but several possess RNA as
genetic material (e.g., Rabies virus , Polio virus ,
Retroviruses)

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 Retroviruses - A type of virus that uses
RNA as its genetic material. After infecting
a cell, a retrovirus uses an enzyme called
reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA
into DNA. The retrovirus then integrates
its viral DNA into the DNA of the host cell,
which allows the retrovirus to replicate.
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is a
retrovirus.

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 Phagineae – They cause diseases in lower
organisms
Ex – Bacteriophages (Bacterial Viruses)
Bacteriophages were discovered
independently by Frederick W. Twort in
Great Britain (1915) and Félix d'Hérelle in
France (1917).

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 Components –
A virus consists of two parts – nucleoid
(genome) and capsid . An envelope is present
in some cases.

A few enzymes are also known to occur

occasionally inside the virus.
1. Nucleoid – It represents the viral
chromosome .
It is made up of single molecule of
nucleic acid
Nucleic acid is either DNA or RNA but never
both.
DNA containing viruses are called
deoxyviruses while RNA containing viruses are
called riboviruses.
Each of them has two subtypes , double
stranded and single stranded.
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 (a) Ds DNA - it occurs in bacteriophages ,
Hepatitis B
(b )Ss DNA - it occurs in Coliophage phi ×174
(c) Ds RNA – it occurs in Reovirus and Tumour
Virus
(d) Ss RNA – it occurs in TMV , HIV , Influenza
virus

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 3. Capsid – (Sheath , Coat ) –
It is a protective covering made up of protein .
The capsid consists of a number of subunits
called capsomeres.

The capsid of TMV has 2130 capsomeres .

4. Envelope – it is a loose membranous
covering made up of protein , lipid and
carbohydrate.
It occurs in some animal viruses , rarely plant
and bacteria virus es.

It has subunits called peplomeres.

The viruses without an envelpe are called
nacked
Common enveloped virus es are HIV , Herpes
viruses.

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 4. Enzymes – They are occasional .
Enzyme lysozyme is present in the region that comes in
contact with host cell in bacteriophages,
neuraminidase in influenza virus , RNA polymerase,
RNA transcriptase, Reverse transcriptase.
Note- Zidovudine - also known as azidothymidine, is
an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat
HIV/AIDS. It is generally recommended for use with
other antiretrovirals. It may be used to prevent
mother-to-child spread during birth or after a
needlestick injury or other potential exposure.
Interferons –
It is a chemical secreted by virus infected cells which
protects healthy cells from viral infection
It is a glycoprotein.

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