MICROBIOLOGY I

(PNUR 211)
Mr. P.Y. BOAKYE
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
BACTERIA CELLS
 BACTERIA CELL STRUCTURE
• Bacteria are prokaryotes, lacking well-defined nuclei and membrane-bound
organelles, and with chromosomes composed of a single closed DNA circle.
They come in many shapes and sizes, from minute spheres, cylinders and
spiral threads, to flagellated rods, and filamentous chains.
Structure of a typical bacteria cell

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Average_prokaryote_cell-_en.svg;http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antibiotic_resistance.svg
 CYTOPLASM
Also known as protoplasm.
• The cytoplasm is a gel-like fluid, which contains enzymes, nutrients, wastes,
(organic and inorganic solutes) and gases. It also contains cell structures like
ribosomes, chromosomes, and plasmids.
• The cytoplasm is where the organelles carry out the processes necessary
for the life of the bacterium. The components of the cytoplasm are
responsible for cell growth, metabolism, elimination of waste and
replication (reproduction) of the cell.

Other functions of cytoplasmic membranes

1. Selective permeability (Selective permeability of the cell membrane
refers to its ability to differentiate between different types of molecules,
only allowing some molecules through while blocking others.)
2. Excretion of hydrolytic enzymes
3. Has enzymes and carrier molecules for synthesis of DNA and cell wall
 CELL WALL
• The cell wall is a rigid structure of uniform thickness around the cell, and is
responsible for the characteristic shape of the cell (rod, coccus, or spiral).
• The cell wall supports the weak cytoplasmic membrane and can withstand
the high osmotic pressure in the cell.
• The bacterial cell wall consists of peptidoglycan, which is an essential
protective barrier for bacterial cells that encapsulates the cytoplasmic
membrane.
• Peptidoglycan is a rigid, highly conserved, complex structure of
carbohydrates and amino acids.

• Bacteria belonging to the Mycoplasma genus lack a cell wall around their
cell membranes.
Gram stain (a staining method to identify bacteria based on
their cell characteristics) is not useful for organisms without a
cell wall like Mycoplasma species, and for smaller bacteria
like Chlamydia and Rickettsia species.
 Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
• Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the major
component of the outer membrane of Gram-
negative bacteria.
• Lipopolysaccharide is critical to maintaining
the barrier function preventing the passive
diffusion of antibiotics and detergents into the
cell.
• It is responsible for the characteristic
appearance of Colonies
• Mucoid = Smooth (lots of LPS or capsule)
• Dry = Rough (little LPS or capsule)

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/escherichia-coli-on-
macconkey-agar-1577355517
 Flagella and Surface Appendages
• Some prokaryotes have distinct appendages that allow them to move about
or adhere to solid surfaces.
• Consist of delicate strands of proteins.
• Flagella: Long, thin extensions that allow some bacteria to move about
freely in aqueous environments.

Pili
• A pilus (Latin for 'hair'; plural: pili) is a hair-like appendage found on the
surface of many bacteria.
• Short protein appendages, which are smaller than flagella
• Adhere bacteria to surfaces
• Pilli in some bacteria help in the exchange of genetic information
 Endospores
• An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure
produced by some bacteria.
• Resistant structure
• Heat, irradiation, cold
• Boiling >1 hr still viable
• Takes time and energy to destroy spores

• Bacillus stearothermophilus -spores

• Used for quality control of heat sterilization equipment
• Bacillus anthracis - spores
• Used in biological warfare
 INTRACELLULAR BACTERIA
• Obligate intracellular bacteria cannot live outside the host cell.
• They are unable to carry out energy metabolism and lack many
biosynthetic pathways and therefore are entirely dependent on
the host cell to supply them with ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
and other intermediate molecules.
• Eamples are Chlamydia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp.,
Rickettsia spp., Orientia spp. and Coxiella spp.
• Facultative intracellular bacteria, are capable of living and
reproducing either inside or outside host cells.
• Example, bacteria such as Francisella tularensis, Listeria
monocytogenes, Salmonella typhi, Mycobacterium spp., and
Neisseria meningitidis,
CLASSIFICATION OF MEDICALLY IMPORTANT
BACTERIA
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BY
SHAPE
SHAPE OF BACTERIA
1. Cocci: these types of bacteria are unicellular, spherical or elliptical in
shape. Either they remain as a single cell or they may aggregate together
for various configurations.
• Monococcus: they are also called micrococcus and represented ny a single,
discrete round cell. Eg; Micrococcus flavus
• Diplococcus; the cell of the diplococcus divide in a particular plane and
after division, the cell remains attached to each other. Eg; Diplococcus
pneumonia
• Streptococcus: here, the cells divide repeatedly in one plane to form a
chain of cells. Eg; streptococci pyrogene
• Tetracoccus: this consists of for round cells which defies in two planes
at right angles to one another.
• Staphylococcus: here, the cells divide in three planes forming a
structure like bunches of grapes, giving an irregular configuration. Eg;
staphylococcus aureus
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BY
SHAPE
2. Bacilli
• These are rod shaped or cylindrical bacteria which either
remain singly or in pairs. Eg; bacillus cereus
3. Vibro
• The vibro are curved, comma shaped bacteria and
represented by a single genus. Eg; vibro cholerae

4. Spirilla
• These types of bacteria are spiral or spring like with multiple
curvature and terminal flagella. Eg; spirillum volutans
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BY GRAM
STAINING
• Gram Staining is a common technique used to differentiate two large
groups of bacteria based on their different cell wall constituents;
typically, the thickness of the peptidoglycan layer.
• Gram positive bacteria have a thicker peptidoglycan layer retain violet
or purple stain
• Gram negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer retain pink
stain
THE GRAM STAIN
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BY GROWTH

• The following are some factors needed by various bacteria for

proper growth and survival:
 OSMOTIC PRESSURE
 NUTRITION
 OXYGEN REQUIREMENT
 TEPERATURE
 pH OF BACTERIA SURVIVAL
 OSMOTIC PRESSURE
• Osmotic pressure is the force water exert on the
semipermeable membrane surrounding a cell. It could be
hypertonic, isotonic or hypotonic.
• Some bacteria can maintain the availability of water in the
environment with high solute concentration by increasing the
solute concentration within the cell.
• Osmotolerant such as staphylococci aureus can grow in wide
variety of environment with varying osmotic pressure and in a
media containing high NaCl concentration.
• Based on the environmental concentration of NaCl, bacteria
can be classified into halophiles , Obligate halophiles and
facultative halophiles.
 OSMOTIC PRESSURE
• Halophiles:
Require moderate to large salt concentrations.
Eg. Archeobacteria, Halobacterium, Halococcus.
• Extreme or Obligate Halophiles:
Require a very high salt concentrations (20 to 30%).
Bacteria in Dead Sea. Eg. Salinibacter ruber
• Facultative Halophiles:
Do not require high salt concentrations for growth, but
tolerate upto 2% salt or more.
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BASED ON
NUTRITION
• Bacteria, like all living cells, require energy and nutrients to build proteins and
structural membranes and drive biochemical processes.
• Bacteria require sources of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, iron and a large
number of other molecules.
• The nutritional requirements for bacteria can be grouped according to the carbon
source and the energy source.
• The classification of bacteria based on nutrition has two broad categories:
Autotrophs
• Bacteria that make their own food by converting light energy, chemical energy or
inorganic substances into usable energy for survival.
Heterotrophs
• Bacteria that obtain energy by consuming other organic molecules.
CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BASED ON THEIR OXYGEN
REQUIREMENT
Based on oxygen requirement, bacteria can be categorized into :
 AEROBES
• These organisms require oxygen to grow.
 Examples: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria meningitidis
 FACULTATIVE ANAEROBES
• They can grow with or without oxygen because they can metabolize energy
aerobically or anaerobically and use organic compounds (fermentation).
 Examples: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp.,
 OBLIGATE ANAEROBES
• They do not require the use of oxygen and live in anaerobic
environment.
 Examples: Clostridium sp., Actinomyces sp., Bacteroides sp. ( Bacteroide
flagilis )
 CLASSIFICATION OF BACTERIA BASED ON
TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS
Microbes can be classified into several groups based on their
preferred temperature ranges.
• Psychrophiles: “Cold loving“ can grow at 0 degrees Celsius. Eg;
Psychrobacter arcticus
• Mesophiles: Best growth is between 25 to 40 degrees Celsius. Eg;
Listeria monocytogenes
• Thermophiles: Also known as Heat loving. optimum growth is
between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. Eg; licyclobacillus.
 pH
• The optimum growth pH is the most favorable pH for the
growth of an organism.
• Most bacteria are neutrophiles and grow best at near-neutral
pH (center curve).
• Acidophiles have optimal growth at pH values near 3.
• Alkaliphiles have optimal growth at pH values above 9.
TRANSMISSION OF BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
 INTRODUCTION
• Bacteria live on and inside plants, animals, and people. Some also
live in water, soil and some are carried by air.
• A bacterial infection is a proliferation of a harmful strain of
bacteria on or inside the body. Bacteria can infect any area of the
body.
 GENERAL CAUSES OF BACTERIA
INFECTIONS
• Bacteria cause infection by secreting toxins inside the body. They
also excrete toxins that cause diseases or are even capable of
producing toxins internally in the body.
• Bacteria can enter the body through an opening in the skin such as
a cut, surgical wound, or through the air way.
• The most common and easy way to get infected by bacterial
infection is by direct or indirect contact.
• Sexual contact with the infected person is another cause of the
spread of disease.
• In general these are examples of bacterial infections:
• Bacterial skin infection
• Food and water borne bacteria infections
• Sexually transmitted bacterial infections
• Other bacterial infections
 QUESTION
• State four general characteristics of a Bacteria

• Explain the theory of Spontaneous generation and Biogenesis

• Discuss the Germ theory of disease

• State four gram positive and three gram negative bacteria

• State the differences between Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria

• Give four pathogens