Bacteria

Bacteria are prokaryotic cells, the simplest of microbial cells. In essence, they consist of cell protoplasm contained within a retaining structure or cell envelope.

Basic Characteristics:

• Prokaryotic
• Simplest of all microbial cells
• Single-celled organisms
• Distinctive cell walls, or unique cell envelopes, which contain a peptidoglycan layer
• Tiny; measured in units called micrometers (μm)
• Lack a true nucleus; instead, have a region called the ‘nucleoid region' (i.e., DNA)
• DNA is free floating
• May have additional DNA which is not associated with this nucleoid region (called a plasmid) 

Other Characteristics:

• Rapid growth and cell division (binary fission) under favorable conditions
• Mutants that arise from bacteria can become extremely resilient organisms because bacteria can:
• Grow and reproduce cells quickly
• Adapt quickly to changing environments
• Plasmids impart additional resistant characteristics to bacteria via cell-to-cell transfer of this extra

DNA material

• Capable of colonizing in almost any environment
• Extremely diverse and numerous in soils or waters

Basic Bacteria

The overall form of a basic bacterial cell is that of a complex cell envelope that encloses cell protoplasm. Cell appendages from the envelope protrude into the environment surrounding the cell.

Construct a Bacterium

Click on the links below that represent parts that make up a bacteria cell. If the part you select is part of a bacteria cell, it will appear at right. If the part you select in not part of a bacteria cell, a message will appear explaining where it belongs.

• Capsid
• Cytoplasm
• DNA
• Fimbriae (Cilia)
• Flagella
• Hyphae
• Icosahedral Coat
• Membrane
• Mesosome
• Peptidoglycan
• Pili
• Pseudopod
• Ribosomes

Tweet