Bacterial Cell Structure

Microbiology
Unit I

Dr IQRA
KMU
 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lecture the students will be able to:
• Define Bacteria
• Give characteristics of bacterial cell
• Classify Bacteria on the basis of:
a. Morphology
[Link]
c. Temperature
[Link]
• Give some examples of Gram +ve and
Gram –ve bacteria
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 CHARACTERISTICS OF BACTERIA
• Bacteria are prokaryotic unicellular organisms
• DNA and RNA both are present
• Division (reproduction) by Binary fission
• No mitochondria and nuclear membrane
• Rigid cell wall containing peptidoglycan

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Shape and size
Three principal shapes of bacteria exist:
• Round (cocci; singular, coccus)
• Rods (bacilli; singular, bacillus)
• Curved or twisted rods (spirilla; singular,
spirillum)

Cocci Bacilli
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• Typical bacteria measure 2-8 m in length and 0.2-2
m in width.
• Form associations such as chains, clusters, and
tetrads.

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 Aerotolerance
• Strict Aerobes: Bacteria that grow only in the presence
molecular oxygen.
e.g. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Strict Anaerobes: are which can grow only in the
absence of molecular oxygen.
e.g. Clostridium tetani
• Facultative anaerobes: They can grow both in the pres-
ence as well as absence of molecular oxygen. E.g. Escheri-
chia coli
• Why molecular Oxygen is toxic to anaerobes?
• Recall H2O2 and SOD M. Iqbal, KMU
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Bacterial Structure

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 A typical bacterial features
• Flagella (Singular: flagellum) are thread like struc-
tures for locomotion in most motile bacteria.
• Pili (singular: pilus) Glycoprotein appendages on
bacterial cell Shorter than flagella used for trans-
fer of genetic material from one to another (sex
pilli)
• Fimbriae (singular: Fimbria) Glycoprotein ap-
pendages on bacterial cell Shorter than pili used
for attachment to contact surfaces

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Flagella Pattern

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• Capsule - Made of polysaccharide which protects
bacteria from phagocytes.
• Cell wall:
• Made up of peptidoglycan.
– Responsible for the rigidity of bacterial cell.
(Refer to peptidoglycan chemical structure on white board)
• Cell Membrane:
– Inner to cell wall, there is a delicate cytoplasmic mem-
brane which surrounds the cytoplasm.
• Outer Membrane:
Exterior to cell wall found in Gm-ve bacteria (Refer to
white board for its chemical composition).
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• The capsule is found most commonly among
gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (in
some strains) Neisseria meningitidis. Klebsiella
pneumoniae.

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• Ribosome made up of RNA and protein. It is a factory of
protein synthesis.
• Mesosome An invagination of cell membrane which helps
in cell division.
• Nucleoid (Genetic material) Unlike virus, bacteria have
both DNA and RNA. It contains genetic charateristics.
• Periplasm is the space between cytoplasmic membrane
and outer membrane of Gm-ve bacteria which contains hy-
drolytic and Beta lactamase enzyme to degrade substances
like penicillin.
• Plasmid A fragment of extrachromosomal DNA segment
which contains different genes for resistance to heat and
chemicals.

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• Endospore – The process of formation of spore is
known as sporulation.
Bacillus species can form spores.
It is produced within the cell, one spore is formed within
a single bacterial cell.
• It is resistant to heat, UV light, most chemicals and des-
iccation.
• When conditions are favorable, the spore germinates
and produces a fresh vegetative cell.

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 Endotoxin
Toxin which is released only upon
lysis of bacterial cell. Found only in G –ve.
It is heat-resistant

 Exotoxin
Toxin released by Viable bacterial cells.
Found mostly in G +ve but in some G –ve as
well.
It is heat-labile

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 Nutrition based Classification
►Carbon Source:
Microorganisms are classified into two groups on the basis of
sources of carbon as autotrophs and hetrotrophs.
Autotrophs are the microorganisms which derive carbon from
inorganic compounds like CO2.
Hetrotrophs are the microorganisms which derive carbon
from different organic compounds like sugar, alcohol etc.
►

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 Cont…
Energy Source:
Microorganisms depend upon different sources of en-
ergy. The organisms which depend on sunlight as a
major source of energy are called phototrophs.
Other organisms which use chemicals as a source of
energy are called chemotrophs.
Autotrophs may either use sunlight or chemical com-
pounds as energy source; they are called photoau-
totrophs and chemoautotrophs respectively.

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Likewise, hetrotrophs may either use sunlight or
chemical compouds as energy source; they are
called photohetrotrophs and chemohetrotrophs
respectively.

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 Temperature Based Classification

Regarding temperature they are grouped into

three categories

1- Psychrophiles Love to grow in the range of 0 0C - 25

0
C
2- Mesophiles Love to grow between 25 0C - 40 0C
3- Thermophiles Love to grow in the range of 40 0C -
85 0C
Some species even grow at 98 0C as in hot sulfur
spring
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 [Link]

• Psychrophilic bacteria: -These type of bacteria grow just

above the freezing temperature, they can cause contamina-
tion of food stored in the refrigerator. Example: -Pseudomo-
nas.
ii) Mesophilic bacteria: -These bacteria grow at normal tem-
perature in the water bodies, food products, liberate gas and
cause change in texture. Example: -Lactobacillus.
iii) Thermophilic bacteria: – These types of bacteria can sur-
vive at higher temperature and can withstand the pasteuriza-
tion temperature. Example: – Clostridium, Bacillus.
iv) Thermophilic bacteria: – These types of bacteria can sur-
vive pasteurization but cannot grow above pasteurization
temperature. Example: – Micrococcus, Streptococcus.

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 PH Based Classification
Regarding PH they are grouped into three cate-
gories

1- Acidophiles Love to grow in the range

of PH between 0-6
2- Neutrophiles Love to grow between
6-8 PH
3- Alkalophiles/Basophiles Love to grow at PH
above 8
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 Beneficial and Harmful Bacteria
• Truly speaking, all of the bacteria are potentially
harmful. Any how, about 97 % bacteria are benefi-
cial and 3 % harmful. Beneficial bacteria include
normal flora and other industrial and environmental
bacteria.

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 Some Medically Important Bacteria
1- Gram Positive:
• Streptococcus—causes pneumonia, pharyngitis, cellulitis
• Staphylococcus—abscess of skin and other organs, Food
poisoning
• Bacillus (spore forming rods)—causes Anthrax
• Clostridium (spore forming rods)— Tetanus, botulism
• Corynebacterium—diphtheria
• Listeria—Meningitis
• Actinomyces— Actinomycosis

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 Cont…
2- Gram Negative:
• Neisseria—Gonorrhea, Meningitis
• Yersinia—Plague
• Escherichia—Urinary tract infection, diarrhea
• Salmonella—Typhoid fever
• Vibrio—Cholera
• Shigella—Enterocolitis
• Haemophilus—Meningitis
• Bordetella—Whooping cough
• Pseudomonas—Pneumonia, UTI
• Bacteroides—Peritonitis
3- Acid Fast
• Mycobacterium—Tuberculosis, Leprasy
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