Bacteria Basics Bacteria Characteristics bacteria are prokaryotes they
Bacteria Basics
Bacteria Characteristics • bacteria are prokaryotes • they have no internal compartmentalization “one big room”
Bacteria Characteristics • Size: Bacteria are about 1 micrometer in diameter (Very, very small).
Bacteria Characteristics • All bacteria are single cells (unicellular). • Some may group together (colony)
Bacteria Characteristics • Bacteria have a single circular piece of DNA (nucleoid region)
Bacteria Characteristics • Bacteria reproduce by binary fission – asexual reproduction – cell pinches into two new cells during reproduction.
Bacteria Characteristics • Some bacteria possess – flagellum for locomotion “tail” – pilli “thorns” • Allows bacteria to stick to other surfaces
Bacteria Shapes • Bacteria come in three different shapes: – Bacillus: a rod shaped cell
Bacteria Shapes • Bacteria come in three different shapes: – Bacillus: a rod shaped cell – Spirillum: a spiral shaped cell
Bacteria Shapes • Bacteria come in three different shapes: – Bacillus: a rod shaped cell – Spirillum: a spiral shaped cell – Coccus: a round-shaped cell
Bacterial Diseases • Bacteria cause disease in two ways: – Secrete enzymes that “eat” the cell
Bacterial Diseases • Bacteria cause disease in two ways: – They produce chemical toxins which poison you.
Treating Bacterial Diseases • Antibiotics treat bacterial disease, NOT viruses.
Good Bacteria • You should realize that not all bacteria are bad, you couldn’t live without some bacteria. • Good bacteria are used in: –Preparing foods like pickles, cheese, olives, vinegar, and sourdough bread. –Producing important industrial chemicals like acetone. –Genetic engineering to produce medicines like insulin. –Mining to concentrate useful elements. –Helping clean up oil spills by metabolizing organic chemicals.
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