Bacteria

• Bacteria are the most abundant of all

organisms. They are ubiquitous in soil, water,
and as symbionts
• They are basically unicellular and
morphologically least complex.
• Each bacteria cell has a rigid wall composed
of peptidoglycan(never chitin or cellulose).
• The cell wall may be surrounded a capsule
and\or a loose gelatinous slime layer.
• Membrane bounded cell organelles such as
endoplasmic reticulum , Golgi complex etc.are
absent
• True nucleus is absent. The nuclear substance
consisting of naked circular DNA, designed as
the bacterial chromosome, is folded to form
nucleoid.
• The cytoplasm lacks streaming movement.
• Sap vacuoles are absent. Instead, gas
vacuoles may occur in some cases.
• Ribosomes are 70 sedimentation
coefficient (70 s) as against 80 s in
eukaryotes.
• Some bacteria move by means of flagella.
Bacterial flagella are single stranded and
made up of one kind of protein called
flagellin.
• Bacteria reproduce asexually by binary
fission..
• Genetic recombination may occur by
conjugation,transformation and
transduction.genetic variations are chiefly
achieved by mutation. True sexual
reproduction is absent.
• Bacterial mode of nutrition varies from
heterotrophic(saprotrophic, parasitic or
symbiotic) to autotrophic (photoautotrophic or
chemoautotrohic). The photoautotrophic forms
possess the pigments bacteriochlorophylls
instead of chlorophylls.
Different forms of Bacteria
Flagellation
Structure bacterial cell
Flagella
 Aerobic and Non-Aerobic
Bacteria
• Obligate Aerobes Azotobacter, Mycobacterium

• Facultative Anaerobes Aerobacter ,Pseudomonas

• Obligate Anaerobes Clostridium

• Facultative Aerobes Chloribium limicola

 Nutrition

Bacteria
Nutrition

autotrophic heterotrophic

Photoautotrophic chemoautotrophic parasites saprophytes Symbiotic

Nitrifying ,Sulphur Streptococcus Azotobacter Rhizobium
Iron,Hydrogen pneumoniae
Carbon,Methane

Green Sulphur Purple Sulphur Bacteria Purple Non Sulphur

Chlorobium Thiospirillum Bacteria
Rhodospirillium
 Photoautotrophic Bacteria
• Possess pigments in thylakoids
• Use light energy for photosynthesis
• Water not used as hydrogen donor
therefore molecular oxygen not liberated
• Green sulphur bacteria have
bacterioviridin or chlorobium chlorophyll
• Purple sulphur bacteria have
bacteriochlorophyll
 Autotrophic Green sulphur
bacteria
• Have bacterioviridin
• Thrive in light conditions
• Produce chemical sulphur by removing
hydrogen from hydrogen sulphide
• 6CO2+12H2S
C6H12O6+12S+6H2O+Energy
• Chlorobium
 Autotrophic Purple Sulphur
Bacteria
• Bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoids
present
• Use inorganic sulphur
compounds,selenium compounds
• 6CO2+15H2O+3Na2S2O3
C6H12O6+6H2O+6NaHSO4
• Thiospirillum
 Chemoautotrophic Nitrifying
Bacteria
• Derive energy by oxidizing ammonia into
nitrate
• Conversion of Ammonia into nitrate occurs
in two steps
• 2NH3+3O22
HNO2+4H++2NO2-+energy
Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus involved
• 2NaNO2+O2 NaNO3+energy
Nitrobacter and Nitrocystis involved
 Chemoautotrophic Sulphur
Bacteria
• Derive energy by oxidizing
Hydrogen sulphide to water and
sulphur
• Energy released used and sulphur
granules deposited in or outside the
cell
• 2H2S+O2 2H2O+2S+energy
• Beggiatoa
 Chemoautotrophic Methane
Bacteria
• Utilize Methane as source of
carbon and energy
• CH4+2O2 CO2+2H2O+energy
• Methanomonas
 Reproduction in Bacteria

• Asexual Reproduction :
Binary fission, Endospore formation
• Sexual reproduction :
Conjugation,Transduction,Transformation
Binary Fission
Endospore formation
 Economic Importance
• Decay of Organic Waste
• Sewage disposal:
E.coli,Clostridium,Micrococcus
• Nitrogen fixation:Azotobacter,Rhizobium
• Ammonification:Bacillus mycoides
• Nitrification:Nitrosomonas,Nitrobacter
• Ensilage
• Manure
• Gobar gas plants
 Industrial Use

• Lactic acid (Lactobacillus bulgaricus)

• Curd (L.bulgaricus),
• Butter (Streptococcus lactis)
• Vinegar (Acetobacter)
• Retting of Jute (Clostridium,Pseudomonas)
• Curing of tea and tobacco
• Tanning of leather
• Antipollutants
 Medicinal Use

• Serum and Vaccines

• Vitamins: Vitamin C from

Acetobacter,VitaminB2 from Clostridium

• Antibiotics streptomycin(Streptomyces griseus)

Tetracycline(S.aurefaciens)
 Harmful Activities
• Food poisoning:Clostridium botulinum,
Staphylococcus aureus,Salmonella

• Spoilage of food:Lactobacillus(Souring of
milk),Aerobacter(putrefaction of
meat),Achromobacter(Spoil fish)

• Water pollution:Shigella,Vibrio,Salmonella
• Diseases:Tuberculosis(Mycobacterium
tuberculosis),Tetanus(Clostridium
tetani),Citrus canker(Xanthomonas
citri),Crown gall(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)

• Germ Bombs

• Deterioration of Domestic
Articles:Cellulomonas

• Denitrification of
soil:Pseudomonas,Thiobacillus denitrificans