Er, I hate to spoil the party but that sentence could just as

well pertain to Mount Kailash, said Chhedi3.1 Bacteria

Robert Koch first of all cultured bacteria.They are cosmopoliton. The features which contribute to their
universal distribution are
Extremely simple structure.
Small size and consequent large surfacetovolume ratio.
Resistance of vegetative cells to adverse environmental factors.
Formation of highly resistant endospores.
Diversity in their modes of nutrition.
The bacteria are unicellular organisms lacking true nucleus and typical plastids. The plant
characteristics of bacteria are
Presence of a definite and rigid cell wall.
The tendency of some to grow as filaments.
The ability of autotrophic bacteria to synthesize organic food.
Size and form : They are 3 to 5 microns (1 = 1/1000 millimetre or about 1/25,000 inch) in length. A few
species of bacteria are approximately 15 in diameter. [Smallest Dialister pneumosintes; Largest Epulopiscium
fishelsonii (0.3 mm. long)]
Shape : Bacteria possess the following forms
Cocci : They are oval or spherical in shape. They are called micrococcus when occur singly as in
Micrococcus, diplococcus when found in pairs as in Diplococcus pneumoniae, tetracoccus in fours,
streptococcus when found in chains as in Streptococcus lactis, staphylococcus when occurring in grapelike
clusters as in Staphylococcus aureus and sarcinae, when found in cubical packets of 8 or 64 as in Sarcina.
Bacilli : They are rodshaped bacteria with or without flagella. When they are found in pairs is said to
be diplobacillus, when they are found in chain streptobacillus. e.g.,Baccilus anthracis.
Vibrios : These are small and comma like e.g., Vibrio cholerae.
Spirillum : They are coiledlike a cork -screw, eg., Spirillum.
Flagellation : One or more flagella, 5 4 size, arise from basal granule, no 9 + 2 pattern following cell
types
Atrichous : When the flagellum is absent it is called atrichous. Eg. Pasturella.
Monotrichous : Only one flagellum is found at one end. Eg. Vibrio.
Lophotrichous : A tuft of flagella is present at both the opposite ends. Eg. Spirillum serpense.
Cephalotrichous : A tuft of flagella is present only at one end. e.g., Pseudomonas fluorescens.
Peritrichous : A number of flagella are present all over the body. eg. E. coli
Archaebacteria : Also called living fossils, most primitive group of bacteria, methanogenic (CH
4

producing), halophilic (salt lover) and thermoacidophilic (in hot sulphur spring).
Gram positive and gram negative bacteria : A scientist named Gram, stained the bacteria with crystal
violet and iodine solution. On washing them with acetone or alcohol, Gram positive bacteria retained deep
violet or purple but Gram negative were decolourised. Gram negative bacteria are stained by safranin or
carbol fushcine.
Differences between gram +ve and gram ve bacteria
Gram positive bacteria Gram negative bacteria
(A) Cell wall is 100200 thick, homogeneous

(A) Cell wall is comparatively thin, i.e., 70120 , Multilayered
(B) Mesosomes are absent
(B) Mesosome present
(C) Cell wall contains only traces of lipids. Teichoic
acids present
(D) Mostly non-pathogenic
(E) More amount of peptidoglycon (60-80%)
(C) Contains upto 20% lipids, contain LPS (Lipopoly
saccharides), Teichoic acid absent
(D) Mostly pathogenic
(E) Less amount (10-20%)

Structure
Cell wall : All bacterial cells are covered by a strong rigid cell wall. The cell wall is formed of
peptidoglycans or mucopeptide or murein. In it NAG & NAM are joined by shortpeptide chains. NAG & NAM
are sugar derivatives.
Capsule : A slimy capsule is present outside the cell wall, composed of polysaccharides and amino acids.
Plasma membrane : Contains oxidative or respiratory chain enzymes, sterols absent. Mesosomes in
Gram positive bacteria the plasma membrane is invaginated into whorls of convoluted membranes called
mesosomes. These contain oxidative enzymes of electrons transport system. Mesosomes help in respiration
and is site for DNA replication & cell wall formation (called mitochondria of bacteria).
Cytoplasm : There is no mitochondrion, chloroplast and endoplasmic reticulum is present in the
bacterial cell. The bacterial cytoplasm contains granules of glycogen and polyhydroxy butyric acid volutin
granules etc. Certain photosynthetic bacteria have bacterio-chlorophyll associated with chromatophores.
Cytoplasm contains 70S ribosomes.
Nuclear material : The nuclear material is known as nucleoid or genophore which comprises of just one
circular molecule of DNA.
Flagella : These are fine, threadlike, protoplasmic appendages help the bacteria to swim and is divided
into three parts (1) A basal granule, (2) A hook, and (3) A main filament. The basal granule lies inner to the
cell membrane, where it can rotate made up of flagellin protein.
Structure of bacterial flagellum : The flagellum is composed entirely of flagellin, a protein,
composed of globular subunits arranged in helices of various kinds. The diameter of each
subunit is about 4050 . These subunits are arranged around a hollow axis. A flagellum is usually
4-5 long and 120 185 in diameter.
Pili or fimbriae : Some gram-negative bacteria possess fine hairlike outgrowths
from the surface made of pilin protein and are called pili or fimbriae. These are meant for
attachment. During conjugation one or two special pili (sex pili) from the male cell, form
bridges to the female cell. DNA is transferred from male bacterium to female bacterium along
the groove of pili.
Episomes : Some extranuclear DNA (plasmid) material remain integrated or free
state e.g. f-factor (fertility factor) R-factor (resistance factor).
Asexual reproduction
Binary fission : Common method of asexual reproduction. In binary fission the
bacterium cell divides to form two identical sister cells. During this process, the single circular
chromosome duplicates itself. Under ideal conditions, bacterial cell divides every 2030
minutes.
By endospore formation : When environmental conditions become adverse, Gram
+ve rod shaped bacteria belonging to two genera Bacillus and Clostridium produce resting
spores called endospores with an impermeable coat around the chromosome and small part
of the protoplam. It is metabolically inert and can survive unsuitable conditions of
temperature pH and drought.
By conidia : These are found in filamentous bacteria like Actinomycetes. The conidia
are spore like structures.
Sexual reproduction
Transformation : In this process one kind of bacterium is transformed into another
kind. It takes place by transferring DNA from one bacterium to another bacterium. It was first
reported by Griffith (1928). Avery, Mc-leod and Mc Carti perform a detailed study of
transformation in Diplococcus pneumoniae.
Transduction : In this process DNA of a bacterial cell is transferred into another bacterial cell
through bacteriophage. Transduction was first reported by Zinder and Lederberg in 1952 in E-
coli.
Conjugation : In this process genetic material from one strain of bacterium which is
known as male is transferred into another strain of bacterium which is known as female. The
progenies of the recipient express some of the characteristics of the donor. Lederburg and
Tatum discovered conjugation in bacteria. The bacterium which shows genetic
recombination after conjugation is called Merozygote
Bacterial life styles :
Aerobic e.g., Azotobactor, Mycobacteria and nonpathogenic Micrococci.
Anaerobic e.g., Clostridium and nonspore forming rodshaped bacteria.
On the basis of mode of nutrition, bacteria show three types of life styles :
(1) Photoautotrophic Bacteria : Mostly anaerobic, use sunlight, not split water,
split hydrogen sulphide, thiosulphate, hydrogen or some other organic compound and oxygen
is not evolved as a byproduct, possess a pigment bacteriochlorophyll. This is known as
anoxygenic photosynthesis. Eg. Green sulphur and purple sulphur bacteria. They can perform
photosynthesis in far-red light e.g. chromatium, rhodospirillum.
(2) Chemoautotrophic bacteria : These bacteria oxidise a number of inorganic
compounds to obtain energy for the assimilation of carbon dioxide. Some examples of
chemosynthetic bacteria are given below
(a) Sulphur bacteria : They oxidise hydrogen e.g. Thiobacillum thioparus.
(b) Iron bacteria : They oxidise ferrous compounds to ferric forms as Thiobacillus ferrioxidans
(c) Hydrogen bacteria : They oxidise hydrogen to water.
(d) Nitrifying bacteria : They oxidise ammonia to nitrites and then into nitrates. e.g., Nitrosomonas,
Nitrobacter.
(3) Heterotrophic bacteria : They may be freeliving, saprophytic, symbiotic or parasitic. They
require at least one organic compound as source of carbon for their growth. They may be
aerobic, anaerobic or facultative aerobic or anaerobic. e.g, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae,
Salmonella typhosa, Treponema pallidum, Rhizobium, Clostridium titani (causing tetanus or
lock jaw), Clostridium botulinum (causing food poisoning), Lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus,
ferment lactose sugar of milk to lactic acid.
Bacterial diseases
Name of bacteria Name of disease caused by bacteria
1. Diplococcus pneumoniae Pneumonia
2. Clostridium tetani
3. Clostridium botulinum
4. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
5. Neisseria meningitides
6. Hemophilous pertusis (Bordetella pertusis)
7. Vibrio comma
8. Pasteurella pestis (Yersinia pestis)
9. Treponema pallidum
10. Agrobacterium tumefaciens
11. Xanthomonas citri
Tetanus or lockjaw
Food poisoning
Tuberculosis
Meningitis
Whooping cough
Asiatic cholera
Plague
Synphilis
Crown gall
Canker or Citrus

S. A. Waksmann discovered Streptomycin (Antibiotic for tuberculosis) and got noble prize.
Spirochaetes : Spiral organisms, parasites in animals and cause diseases. The venereal disease
syphilis is caused by the Spirochaete, Treponema pallidum. They are free inhabitants and
chemoheterotrophic.
Economic importance of bacteria :
(1) Useful activities :
(a) Decay of organic wastes : Many saprotrophic bacteria act as natural scavengers by
continuously removing the harmful organic wastes.
(b) Sewage disposal : The common bacteria involved in sewage disposal are E.Coli,
Streptococci, Clostridium, etc.
(c) Role in
2
N cycle : Conversions of atmospheric elemental nitrogen to usable forms i.e. nitrates
and ammonia.
(d) Role in
2
N fixation : e.g., Azotobacter (aerobic), clostridium (anaerobic).
(e) Role in industry : Lactic acid formation e.g., Lactobacillus bulgaris, curd e.g.
Lactobacillus bulgaris and Strepticocus thermophillus. Cheese, Butter, Vinegar. Retting of
fibres, Curing of tobacco, Tanning of leather, etc. can be performed by bacteria.
(f) Medicinal use : In obtaining the vaccines, vitamines, enzymes and antibiotics.
(2) Harmful activities
(a) Food poisoning : Botulism is caused by Clostridium botulinum.
(b) Water pollution : Cholera, typhoid, jaundice, etc. spread through contaminated water.
3.2 Mycoplasma
Discovered by Nocard and Roux (1898), first isolated from bovine sheep suffering from
pleuropneumonia, and often designated as pleuropneumonialike organisms (PPLO). These are the simplest
known aerobic prokaryotes without a cell wall, considered to be intermediate between bacteria and viruses,
can grow out side the host cell.
Structure : Their size varies from 0.1 0.15 m. They lack the cell wall and readily change their
shape; This nature is called pleomorphism. Mycoplama cells are covered with three layered
plasma memberane. Unit membrane is made up of lipo protein. The genetic material is
present in the form of a nucleoid (ds circular DNA). Cholesterol is most compulsary for growth
of mycoplasma. Mycoplasmas are Gramnegative. They are also called jokers of plant
kingdom or joker of microbiology due to pleomorphic nature. They form fried egg shaped
colonies.
Physiology and reproduction : Mycoplasmas are usually nonmotile. There are sensitive to
tetracycline. They are resistent to penicillin. Some of them are saprotrophs, but most of them
are parasitic. Mycoplasma reproduces by elementary cell bodies also called baby particle. It is
a kind of vegetative reproduction.
Economic importance : Mycoplasma cause serious diseases in human beings, animals and
plants. Mycoplamsa hominis causes pleuropneumonia, inflammation of genitals and
endocarditis, M. hominis cause infertility in man. Mycoplasma mycoides causes pneumonia in
cattle, bunchy top of papaya, witches broom of legumes, yellow dwarf of tobacco, little leaf
of brinjal, maize stunt, aster yellows.