Bacteriology Overview Flashcards
Characteristics of BACTERIA
- No nuclear membrane
- Mitochondria ABSENT
- Endoplasmic reticulum is ABSENT
- NO sterols in cytoplasmic membrane
- Chitin, glucans and mannans ABSENT from cell wall
- NOT sensitive to anti fungals
Characteristics of FUNGI
- Well defined nuclear membrane present
- Mitochondria PRESENT
- Endoplasmic reticulum is PRESENT
- Sterols are PRESENT in the cytoplasmic membrane
- Cell wall has chitin, glucans and mannans
- NOT sensitive to antibiotics
BACTERIAL STRUCTURE
- The biochemical composition of these structures are macromolecules such
as DNA, RNA, protein, polysaccharide, phospholipid etc
Macomolecules are made up of PRIMARY SUBUNITS
- PROTEINS: subunits are amino acids
- POLYSACCHARIDES: subunits are sugars (carbohydrates)
- PHOSPHOLIPIDS: subunits are fatty acids
- NUCLEIC ACIDS: subunits are nucleotides
Where in the cell are AMINO ACIDS found?
- Flagella
- Pili
- Cell walls
- Cytoplasmic membranes
- Ribosomes
- Cytoplasm
Where in the cell are POLYSACCHARIDES found?
- Capsules
- Inclusions (storage)
cell walls
Where in the cell are PHOSPHOLIPIDS found?
- Membranes
Where in the cell are NUCLEIC ACIDS found?
- DNA: nucleoid (chromosome), plasmid
- RNA:
Ribosomes: mRNA
tRNA: cytoplasm
BACTERIAL CELL STRUCTURE
Appendages:
– Flagella
– Pili (or fimbriae)
Cell envelope:
– Capsule
– Cell wall
– Plasma membrane
Cytoplasmic content:
– Chromosomes
(DNA)
– Ribosomes
Which structures are NOT PRESENT in all bacteria?
- Capsule
- Flagella
- Pili
CELL WALL TYPES
- Gram POSITIVE
- Gram NEGATIVE
FLAGELLA
- Swimming movement
- Predominant chemical composition is PROTEIN
SEX PILUS
- Mediates DNA transfer
during conjugation - Predominant chemical composition is PROTEIN
COMMON PILI or FIMBRIAE
- Attachment to surfaces
- Protection against phagocytic engulfment
- Predominant chemical composition is PROTEIN
CAPSULES
- Attachment to surfaces
- Protection against phagocytic engulfment
- Occasional killing or digestion
- Reserve of nutrients or protection against dessication
Predominant chemical composition is POLYSACCHARIDES, rarely POLYPEPTIDES
CELL WALL
- Prevents osmotic lysis of cell protoplast and confer rigidity and shape on cells
- Peptidoglycan prevents osmotic lysis and confer rigidity and shape on cells
- Outer membrane is a permeability barrier
- Associated LPS and proteins have various functions
PLASMA MEMBRANE
- Permeability barrier
- Transport of solutes
- Energy generation
- Location of numerous enzyme system
- Predominant chemical composition is PHOSPHOLIPID and PROTEIN
RIBOSOMES
- Sites of translation (Protein Synthesis)
- Predominant chemical composition is RNA and PROTEIN
INCLUSIONS
- Reserves of nutrients
- Additional specialized functions
- Predominant chemical composition is highly variable
- Can be lipid, carbohydrate, protein or inorganic
CHROMOSOME
- Genetic material of the cell
- Predominant chemical composition is DNA
PLASMID
- Extrachromosomal genetic material
- Predominant chemical composition is DNA
APPENDAGES
- Flagella
- Pili
FLAGELLA
- Composed of a protein (FLAGELLIN)
- Usually much longer than the bacterial cell
- NOT PRESENT in all bacteria
- Bacteria that possess flagella are MOTILE
- Many Gram NEG bacteria have flagella
- Present in some species of enterococci
Parts of Flagella
- Filament
- Hook (joint betw filament and basal body)
- Basal Body (anchored to cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane)
Variety of Number and Arrangement of Flagella
- Monotrichous flagellum (one “tail”)
- Lophotrichous flagellum (multiple “tails” at one end)
- Amphitrichous flagellum (one “tail” at each end)
- Peritrichous flagellum (“tails” around entire flagella)
What is motility test medium?
- Semi soft medium inoculated with a straight needle
- Motile bacteria swim away from line of inoculation to find nutrients causing turbidity
- NON motile will only
grow along the line of inoculation
Fimbriae or Pili
- Short, hair-like structures on the surfaces of prokaryotic cells
- Shorter and stiffer than flagella
- Smaller in diameter than flagella
- Very common in Gram NEG bacteria
- Most often involved in adherence of bacteria to surfaces, substrates
and other cells or tissues in nature
F or Sex Pilus
- A specialized type of pilus
- Apparently stabilizes
mating bacteria during the process of conjugation - Found in E. COLI
Common Pili
- Usually involved in specific adherence (attachment) of
prokaryotes to surfaces in nature
Components of Cell Envelope
- Capsule
- Cell wall
- Plasma membrane
Gram POSITIVE Cell Wall
- Uniformly thick layer external to the plasma membrane
- Composed mainly of peptidoglycan (murein)
Gram NEGATIVE cell wall
- Thin and multilayered
- Consists of a
relatively thin peptidoglycan sheet between the plasma membrane and a
phospholipid-lipopolysaccharide outer membrane
PERIPLASM
- The space between the inner (plasma) and outer membranes (wherein the
peptidoglycan resides)
CAPSULE
- Polysaccharide layer outside of the cell wall
TRUE CAPSULE
- Discrete detectable layer of polysaccharides deposited
outside the cell wall
BIOFILM
- Less discrete structure or matrix which embeds the cells is a called a slime layer
Mucoid Colonies on
Agar Media
- Indicate bacteria with well defined capsular material
Functions of The CAPSULE
- Adherence to surface, tissue or substrate in nature
- Resistance to engulfment by phagocytic cells
- Resistance to killing and digestion by phagocytic cells
- Resistance to attack by antibodies and drugs
- Protection against drying
- Reserve of nutrients
CELL WALL
- Most prokaryotes have
- Prevent damage to
the underlying protoplast - Essential structure for cell
viability - Composed of unique components found nowhere
else in nature - One of the most important sites for attack by
antibiotics - Provides ligands for adherence and receptor sites for drugs or viruses
- Components are responsible for symptoms of a
disease - Provides for immunological distinction and
immunological variation among strains of bacteria
CELL WALL
- Bacteria usually live in relatively dilute environments
- The accumulation of solutes inside the cell cytoplasm greatly exceeds the total solute concentration in the outside environment
- Since the membrane is a delicate, plastic structure, it must be restrained by an outside wall made of porous, rigid material that
has high tensile strength
(murein)
CELL WALL
- Bacterial murein is a unique type of peptidoglycan
- Composed of chains of alternating subunits of N-acetylglucosamine
and N-acetylmuramic acid crosslinked by short tetrapeptide side chains and peptide cross-bridges.
• The cell walls of archaea may be composed of protein,
polysaccharides, or peptidoglycan-like molecules, but NEVER contain murein - This feature distinguishes the bacteria from the archaea
Structure of the G+ve Bacterial Cell Wall
- Cell wall is thick (15-80
nm) - Consists of several layers of peptidoglycan
- Running perpendicular to
the peptidoglycan sheets are a group of molecules called TEICHOIC ACIDS (unique to the Gram-positive cell wall)
Structure of the G-ve Bacterial Cell Wall
- Relatively thin (10 nm)
- Composed of a single layer of peptidoglycan surrounded by a membranous
structure (outer membrane) - Outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria invariably contains a unique component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS or
endotoxin)- TOXIC TO ANIMALS!! - In Gram-negative bacteria the outer membrane is usually considered as part of the cell wall