Prokaryotic diversity Eubacteria & Archaebacteria

Campbell & Reese Fig 26.1

Bacteria

one-celled to simple colonies cells prokaryotic metabolism diverse

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

Archaeabacteria extremophiles
one-celled to simple colonies cells prokaryotic chemistry different than Bacteria metabolism diverse, primitive

Grand prismatic pool, Yellowstone NP

Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes

cells small (1-5 m diameter) unicellular no nucleus or organelles cell wall cells large (10-100 mm) unicellular or multicellular nucleus and organelles different cell wall when present

C&R Fig 27.2

Prokaryote shape
spherical (cocci)

rod-shaped (bacilli)

helical

Very small

cells usually small (1-5 m diameter) largest are Cyanobacteria and,

* Thiomargarita namibiensis, "Sulfur Pearl of Namibia"
T. namibiensis next to a fruit fly 1 mm

Prokaryotic cell walls

maintain shape,
protection complex chemically peptidoglycan and lipids many antibiotics target this special chemistry

Fig 27.5

Internal cellular structure

one double stranded chromosome of DNA in the form of a ring smaller rings of DNA called plasmids specialized membranes for metabolic purposes no membrane-bound organelles photosynthetic prokaryote

aerobic prokaryote

Movement

Link to Animated bacterial movement towards attractant Bacterial tumble movie

Flagella (bacterial) Chemical gliding

Asexual reproduction

Binary fission
* Growth of Pneumococcus * Time lapse over 2 hours

Resistant spores

Sexual change

No real sexual reproduction transformation - the uptake of genes from the surrounding environment transduction - transfer of genes from viruses to prokaryotes conjugation - direct transfer of genes from prokaryote to prokaryote

Metabolic diversity

Nitrogen fixation

Convert atmospheric nitrogen into biological form used in proteins and nucleic acids Anabaena, a photoautotroph, can also fix nitrogen. Heterocysts cells specialized to carry out the process

Metabolism and oxygen obligate aerobes

oxygen required facultative aerobes - use oxygen when available but not required obligate anaerobes poisoned by oxygen

Archaebacteria
most research has focused on their ecology rather than phylogeny extreme halophiles

extreme thermophiles

methanogens

Ecolgical impacts of prokaryotes

decomposers - recycle nutrients from dead organisms

pathogens cause human disease

mutualists - live closely with another organism and both benefit

Economic roles of prokaryotes

fermentation vinegar, yogurt, cheese pathogens cause human disease

genetically engineered insulin and interferon

source of unique compounds - T. aquaticus DNA polymerase

bioremediation remove environmental contaminants

Are viruses alive?

Virus structure
* nucleic acids genes (DNA or RNA) * protein covering

Other virus pictures (Electron micrographs)

Virus reproduction
Require metabolic
capabilities of a host cell Specific to host species/tissue/cell Recognize host cell surface Genes enter host Host follows instructions to build new virus Virus escapes

Virus diversity
Many viruses In some ways more
closely related to hosts than to each other