Microorganism

Bacteria
 Presented by
Rabeya Sultana
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Adamjee Cantonment College
Mobile : +8801812322832
 Bacteria
 The word bacteria are derived from the Greek word
bacterium meaning little rod.
 German doctor Robert Koch by many experiments proved
that bacteria are the cause of many diseases to animals.
 He discovered bacteria responsible for tuberculosis to
humans (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and for this
outstanding discovery he got Nobel Prize in 1905.
 Louis Pasteur (1869) made a comprehensive research work
and established the germ theory of disease.
 German scientist Ehrenberg (Christian Gottfried
Ehrenberg) in 1829-minute organisms first seen in the
microscope named them as Bacteria.
 Bacteria
The microscopic
microorganism possessing
prokaryotic nucleus ,
without cellular organelle
composed of complex cell
wall generally reproduce
with binary fussion
conveys circular DNA
named plasmid , is called
Bacteria.
General characteristics of Bacteria:
i. They are microscopic (.2-50µm) and unicellular organisms.
ii. They are unicellular, but many cells can live together in a
colony.
iii. They are mostly saprophytic, few of them are parasitic and
pathogenic and some ofthem are autotrophic in nature
iv. Main element of the cell wall of bacteria is peptidoglycan
including muramic acid and teichoic acid.
v. They reproduce by amitosis following binary fission. They are
prokaryotic, therefore nuclear membrane is absent
vi. They are very sensitive to phage virus.
vii. Most of them collect energy by oxidizing inorganic salt.
viii. Some of them are obligate anaerobes E.g-Clostridium. Facultative
anaerobes can survive even in presence of oxygen and some obligate
aerobes cannot survive without oxygen. E. g- Azotobacter .
ix . They can take the basic colour. (Gram positive or gram negative)
x. Their genetic material is a double helical, circular DNA molecule,
which is familiar as bacterial chromosome. It is present in the
cytoplasm and it doesn't have chromosomal histone-protein. The
area of DNA zone is known as nucleoid.
xi. Bacteria are prokaryotic and no other organelles but only ribosome is
membrane
xii. Mitosis and meiosis do not occur because of the absence of
chromosome.
xiii. They can survive from -17°C to 80°C temperatures.
xiv. For existing in the adverse environment bacteria develop endospore.
In this condition they can survive up to 50 years.
Classification of Bacteria

Bacteria

On the basis of On the basis of

On the basis of
number of gram staining
structure
flagella method
On the basis of structure
1. Coccus
2. Bacillus
3. Comma or Vibrio.
4. Spirillum.
5. Pleomorphic.
6. Stellate or stra shape.
7. Square shaped.
8. Filamentus.
 1. Coccus
Coccus: Coccus (plural cocci) can be used to
describe any bacterium that has a spherical
shape. They may be any of following six
types:
1. Monococcus: A form of coccus consisting of
single cells. e.g., Micrococcus
denitrificans.
ii. Diplococcus: A diplococcus is a round
bacterium that typically occurs in the
form of two joined coccus cells. e.g.,
Diplococcus pneumoniae.
iii. Tetracoccus: A spherical bacterium
occurring in square groups of four cocci
bacteria. e.g., Gafkya tetragena.
iv. Streptococcus: Streptococcus is a genus of
spherical coccus bacteria where cellular
division occurs along a single axis and
thus they grow in chains. e.g.,
Streptococcus lactis.
v. Staphylococcus: Staphylococcus is a type of
non-moving small round shaped
bacteria. e.g., Staphylococcus aureus.
vi. Sarcina: Sarcina is a genus of cocci bacteria
which have a cuboidal cell arrangement.
e.g.,Sarcina luta. Sarcina
 Bacillus
Bacillus: Bacillus is any of a group of rod-
shaped, aerobic or anaerobic bacteria widely
found in soil and water. The term bacillus
has been applied in a general sense to all
cylindrical or rod like bacteria. These are of
four types:
(i) Monobacillus: A form of bacillus
consisting of single cells. e.g., Escherichia
coli
(ii) Diplobacillus: A diplobacillus is a rod-
shaped bacterium that typically occurs
in the form of two joined bacillus cells.
e.g., Diplobacillus lacunata
(iii) Streptobacillus: Streptobacillus is a
genus of rod-like bacillus bacteria where
cellular division occurs along a single
axis and thus they grow in chains. e.g.,
Streptobacillus moniliformis
(iv) Palisade bacillus: They are arranged in
the form of a stack. e.g., Lampropedia sp
(v) Coccobacillus: A coccobacillus is a type
of bacterium with a shape that is
intermediat between cocci and bacilli.
e.g., Gardnerella vaginalis.
4. Spirillium: These bacteria are
spirally coiled like a corkscrew.
e.g., Spirillium minus.
5. Comma or Vibrio: These are
elongated, C shaped or comma
shaped bacteria. e.g., Vibrio
cholerae.
6. Polymorphic: Polymorphic
bacteria, like the Mycoplasma
pneumoniae, can assume a
number of different shapes,
even within the same culture.
7. Stellate: These are star-shaped
bacteria. e.g., Stelle sp.
8. Square: These are square
shaped bacteria. e.g.,
Haloquadratum walsbyi.
9. Filamentus: These are thread
shaped bacteria. e.g.,
Candidatus savagella.
 On the basis of number of flagella
i. Atrichous: These bacteria have no
flagella. e.g., Lactobacillus,
Pasteurella.
ii. Monotrichous: Single flagellum
present at one end of the bacterial
cell. e.g., Vibrio cholera.
iii. Amphitrichous: One flagellum
present at each end of the bacterial
cell. e.g., Nitrosomonas.
iv. Cephalotrichous: A tuft of flagella
arising from one end of the bacteria
cell. e.g., Pseudomonas.
v. Lophotrichous: Two tufts of flagella,
one at each end of the bacterial cell.
e.g., Spirillum volutans.
vi. Peritrichous: The flagella are evenly
distributed surrounding the entire
bacterial cell. e.g., Escherichia coli,
Clostridium tetani.
On the basis of gram staining method
i. Gram positive bacteria (G): Gram positive bacteria
retain the Gram stain and have uniformly thick
peptidoglycan wall with less lipid content and more
acidic protoplasm. e.g., Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus
aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia etc.
ii. Gram negative bacteria (G): The Gram negative
bacteria don't retain (loss) the Gram stain, have double
layered cell wall with thin inner peptidoglycan wall and
high lipid content but they take up the red colour of the
counter stain like saffranin. e.g., Salmonella bongori,
Escherichia coli, Neisseria meningitidis, Vibrio cholerae
etc.
Structure of a typical Bacterium
1. Cell wall.
2. Capsule.
3. Plasma membrane.
4. Mesosomes.
5. Flagella.
6. Pili (or Fimbriae).
7. Cytoplasm.
8. Chromosome.
9. Plasmid.
1. Cell wall: It is a wide and elastic outer tough covering of around the cell,
which provides specific shape and protection to the bacterium. It is
composed of a polysaccharide called murein or peptidoglycan. The cell
wall of gram positive bacteria is much thicker and contains fewer lipids
compared to that of Gram negative bacteria. The cell wall can be
dissolved by the enzyme lysozyme.
2. Capsule and slime layers: A lose gelatinous sheath called slime layer is
usually deposited and the bacterial cell wall. It is usually composed of
polysaccharides. This protects the cell in adverse conditions.
3. Plasma membrane: It is thin, elastic, selectively permeable membrane
found internal to the cell wall. It is composed of phospholipids, proteins
and polysaccharides.
4. Mesosomes: These are invaginations formed by the plasma membrane.
They are spherical or elongated structures. They have significant roles
in cell division and replication.
5. Flagella: These are long, slender thread-like structures, which help in
locomotion. A bacterial may have one to many flagella. The flagella are
entirely composed of a protein called flagellin.
6. Pili (or Fimbriae): These are extremely minute hair-like structures found
mostly in male cells. They are composed of protein subunits called pilin.
7. Cytoplasm: It is a semi-fluid ground substance enclosed by the plasma
membrane. It appears granular due to the presence of large number
ribosome. The ribosome may occurs singly or in clusters called
polyribosomes. Membrane-bound cell organelles lik mitochondria,
lysosomes, Golgi complex, vacuoles and endoplasmic reticulum are
absent.
8. Chromosome: Since the bacterial cell is prokaryotic, a true nucleus in
absent. The nuclear material is represented by DNA which is not
associated with histones. It i identified as a nucleoid or bacterial
chromosome. It is a circular ring.
9. Plasmids: Apart from the nucleoid, certain bacterial cells contain
additional rings of DNA called plasmids. The plasmid DNA replicates
independently.
Reproduction of Bacteria
Bacteria reproduce by three methods, such as-
1. Vegetative reproduction-
a. Budding
b. Binary fission
2. Asexual reproduction-
a. Conidia
b. Gonidia,
c. Endospore
3. Sexual reproduction-
a. conjugation tube
b. transformation,
c. transduction
 a. Budding
In this case, a small
protuberance, called
bud, develops In at one
end of the cell. Genome
replication follows, and
one copy of the genome
gets into the bud. Then
the bud enlarges
eventually become a
daughter cell and finally
gets separated from the
parent cell.
 b. Binary fission
The commonest type of reproduction under favourable conditions in which cell
divides into two similar daughter cells is called binary fission.
In this method bacterium cell divides to turn in to two identical bacteria cells
and in this way the increase of number continues. The process takes place by
the following ways-
1. In bacterial chromosome i.e., DNA takes position at the middle of two ends of a
bacterium cell and keeps attached with plasma-membrane.
2. Replication of DNA molecule takes place when it remains attached with plasma
membrane.
3. In this condition the cell elongates. The increase of cell wall and plasma-membrane
takes place at the middle of two ends of the cell.
4. Because of the elongation of cell wall and plasma-membrane, two DNA replica get
apart from each other.
5. Plasma-membrane at the middle of length wise elongated cell gradually extends
inwardly and cell wall starts synthesizing. This time, a single cell turns in to two cells.
6. At the last stage, because of turgor pressure newly formed 2 daughter cells get
separated from each other.
7. Two separated daughter cells growing in size get the equal shape of mother cells and
can take part in binary fission a
Binary fission
2. Asexual reproduction-
a. Conidia: A certain bacteria like Streptomycin cuts off tiny,
oval or rounded non motile structures called conidia in
chains. These are borne at the tips of special aerial branches
called conidiophores. Each conidium under suitable
conditions germinates into new bacterium.
b. Gonidia: Mostly during unfavourable conditions, bacterial
protoplasm undergoes compartmentalization and subsequent
fragmentation, forming minute called gonidia. Under
favourable conditions, each gonidium grows to a new
bacterium.
c. Endospore: Endospores are resting spores formed in
some Gram positive bacteria (Bacillus and
Clostridium) during unfavourable conditions. During
this process a part of the protoplast becomes
concentrated around the chromosome. A hard resistant
wall is secreted around it. The rest of the bacterial cell
degenerates. Endospores are very resistant to extreme
physical conditions and chemicals. During favourable
conditions the spore wall gets ruptured and the
protoplasmic mass gives rise to a new bacterium.
 3. Sexual reproduction
a.Conjugation tube: Conjugation is the
transfer of genetic material between
bacterial cells by direct cell-to cell contact
or by a bridge like connection between two
cells.
b. Transformation: This method involves
the transfer of DNA from one bacterium to
another with the use of a bacteriophage
c. Transduction: After death or cell lyses,
some bacteria release their DNA into the
environment. Other bacteria, generally of
the same species, can come into contact
with these fragments, take them up and
incorporate them into their DNA by
recombination. This method of transfer is
the process of transformation.
 Economic Importance of Bacteria

Useful aspects of bacteria

1. In agriculture
2. In industry
3. In human life
 1. In
agriculture
1. In fixing nitrogen: Some bacteria, called nitrogen fixing
bacteria fix nitrogen in soil and thus increase soil fertility.
Bacteria, like Azotobacter, Pseudomonas, Clostridium,
Rhizobium etc. fix nitrogen directly from the air and increase
the fertility of soil by mixing with it.
2. Increasing production: By applying some special bacteria, the
production of paddy has been increased up to 31.8% and
wheat up to 208%.
3. As insect killer: Some bacteria, such as-Bacillus thuringiensis
is used to controlling different types of insects.
4. Increasing fertility of soil: Bacteria play a direct role in
storing organic substance. They also act as the element of soil.
Bacteria manufacture organic manure and biogas by
decomposing different garbage.
5. Nitrification: Conversion of NH3 in to NO3 is called nitrification.
This occurs under two sub steps. In the first sub step, aquatic
bacteria, such as Nitrosomonas, Clostridium etc. convert
ammonia (NH3) into nitrate (NO2) and in the second step
Nitrobacter converts nitrite in to nitrate (NO,-). They are treated
as the nitrifying bacteria.
6. In preparing animal food: In the agricultural field and in the
milk industry contribution of animals knows no bound. Hays are
cut in to pieces mixing with water animal food is prepared with
the activity of the bacteria Lactobacillus sp. The food mixing with
yeast becomes a better food of cows for enhancing the quality of
milk.
7. Promoting crop production: Applying a few special bacteria the
production of paddy is possible to increase up to 31.8% and
wheat up to 208%.
8. In killing insects: Different types of bacteria, such as- Bacillus
thuringiensis are used to control the harmful insects.
 2. In industry
1. Dairy industry: Bacteria such as Streptococcus lactis
convert milk sugar lactose into lactic acid that coagulates
casein (milk protein). Then, milk is converted into curd,
yoghurt, cheese needed for the industry.
2. Production of organic compounds: Fermentation action of
various bacteria produce organic compounds like lactic
acid (by Lactobacillus), acetic acid (by Acetobacter aceti)
etc.
3. Fiber ratting: The action of some bacteria like Clostridium
butyricum, Pseudomonas etc help in fiber ratting i.e.
separation of stem and leaf fiber of plants from other softer
tissue.
4. Curing: The leaves of tea and tobacco, beans of coffee and
coca are cured off their bitterness with the help of action of
certain bacteria such as Bacillus megatherium.
5. Production of antibiotics: Number of anti bacterial and anti fungal
antibiotics such as Hamycin, Polymyxin, Trichomycin etc. are obtained
from mycelia bacteria (like Streptomyces )Similarly, Bacillus is used for
production of antibiotics such as Bacitracin, Gramicidin etc.
6. Production of vitamins: Different kinds of vitamins are produced from
bacteria like Riboflavin from Clostridium butylicum, Vitamin B12 from
Bacillus megatherium and Vitamin K and B-complex from Escherichia
coli.
7. Production of enzymes: Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium histolyticum,
Trichoderma konigi etc. bacteria are used in commercial production of
enzymes.
8. Vinegar industry: Vinegar is manufactured from sugar solution in the
presence of Acetobacter aceti.
9. Alcohol and Acetone: Clostridium acetobutylicum takes part in the
manufacture of butyl alcohol and acetone.
 3. In human life
1. In the digestion of cellulose: The cattle eat grass and hay and their main
element is cellulose. Bacteria living in the intestine of cattle help directly in the
digestion of cellulose.
2. In preparing vitamins: Escherichia coli (E. coli) in human intestine and other
bacteria produce and supply vitamin-B, vitamin-B2, vitamin-k, and folic acid
etc.
3. In genetic engineering: Its importance in the field of genetic engineering
knows no bound.
Other importance
In the development of environment
1. In the removal of sewage: Bacteria keep the sewage system regular by
converting the organic wastes quickly.
2. In the removal of oil: Oil consuming bacteria are used to remove the floating
oil in the sea.
3. In decomposition of waste: Bacteria play a very important role in
decomposing waste, such as- dead bodies of plants and animals etc. Thus,
bacteria are called the natural scavengers for their great contribution in the
field of environmental protection.
4. In the production of biogas: Bacillus, E coli, Clostridium, Methanococcus.
1. Human diseases: Bacteria cause a number of diseases of humans, such as-
Cholera (Vibrio cholerae), Pneumonia (Diplococcus pneumoniae), Tuberculosis
(Mycobacterium tuberculosis), Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae),
Typhoid (Salmonella typhosa), Tetanus (Clostridium tetani),), Meningitis
(Neisseria meningitidis), Ulcer (Streptococcus sp), Urinary infection (Kelbsiell
sp) etc. Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) also occurred by bacteria, such as-
Gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Syphilis (Treponema pallidum).
2. Plant diseases: Potatoes scab (Streptomyces scabies), Canker of Tomato
(Corynebacterium michiganese), Rice blight (Xanthomonus oryzae). Fire blight
of apple (Erwinia amylovora) etc.
3. Animal diseases: Animals suffer from diseases by bacteria, such as- Undulated
fever, cattle-tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis), Sheep- Anthrax(Bacillus
anthracis), Chicken- cholera (Bacillus avisepticus), Poultry cholera, Plague of
rats etc. Throat Swelling disease (Pasteurella multocida) is also caused by
Bacteria.
4. Food spoiling: Saprophytic bacteria always not only help in decomposition of
dead matters, but they also cause the rotting of vegetables, fruits, meat, bread
etc. Food spoiling bacteria are Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas,
Acinetobacter, Bacillus etc.
5. Food poisoning: Bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus cause food poisoning and
cause people diarrhea and vomiting. Clostridium botulinum bacteria
poisoning the botulized food and causes botulism for man.3
 Harmfulness
6. Damaging of domestic articles: Spirochete cytophaga
deteriorates cotton, leather and wooden articles.
7. Denitrification: Bacteria such as Thiobacillus and
Microbacillus convert nitrate of the soil to the gaseous
nitrogen. This hampers plants very much.
8. Desulphurication: Bacteria such as Desulfovibrio convert
soil sulphates into hydrogen sulphide.
9. Causes of pollution: E. coli, Salmonella, Vibrio etc. bacteria
causes water pollution.
10. Cause of diseases: It is known that over 90% of human
diseases and over 10% of plant diseases are caused by
bacteria.
 Bacterial Diseaes
1. Cholera
2. Leaf blight diseases of rice
 1. Cholera
Cause: Vibrio cholerae
A healthy man may be
attacked with cholera if
the parasite named
Vibrio cholerae by any
means enters the
intestine of the
alimentary canal orally.
 Symtoms
1. Dehydration can develop within hours after the onset of
cholera symptoms.
2. The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse, painless
diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid.
3. Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small bowel that can
cause severe diarrhea.
4. Urination may be stopped due to the same reason. The
patient suffers from severe thirst, muscle contraction,
falling down of blood pressure, falling of body
temperature.
5. Due to severity of disease eyes of the patient get down and
skin complexion fades up. Skin contracts.
6. Due to the loss of a large amount of water and electrolyte
protein level rises high. Thus, the patient may die. Besides,
patient may die when the blood circulatory system is out of
order.
 Remedies
Best treatment is to push saline water in the vein of the
patient. The patient should be rushed to the hospital
for treatment. Antibiotic injection may be pushed.
After all, the want of water should be fulfilled.
 Prevention
1. Not to drink water from hither and thither and not to
take uncovered food.
2. Water should be boiled at least for 30 minutes and
cooled before drinking so that bacteria is destroyed.
3. This bacteria can't be destroyed by using water
purifying tablets. In rural areas people should drink
tubewel water.
4. To have sanitary latrine in each and every village is
essential. People should use sanitary latrine.
2. Leaf blight diseases of rice
CausesThe causal organism is the bacterium,
Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Ishiyama 1922 Sain et
al. 1990). According to the new classification system, it
has been placed in the fam Xanthomonadaceae of the
phylum Proteobacteria.
 Symptoms
1. The earliest symptom of the blight phase is the
appearance of dull greenish water-soaked a yellowish
spots 5-10 mm in length on the leaf towards the tip or
margins, leading to tip and margins dying. The infection
soon extends along one or both margins, sometimes to the
leaf sheath.
2. As the disease progress, several lesions coalesce to form
straw-brown large lesions or blighted portions. The inner
margin of the blighted patch in contact with the adjoining
green portion of the leaf is ragged or wavy.
3. Occasionally, the lesion may extend from the tip
downward along the midrib itself, the la margins
remaining green. Small droplets of bacterial ooze, pale
amber in colour, are found on the affected portions.
 Remedies of disease
1. Since this disease can transmit through seeds, the main controlling measure of
this disease is to make the seeds germ free by using Oranosan-M or Agrosan. S.W
before sowing.
2. After the harvesting of paddy, the wastes and the basal part may be burnt into
ashes. As a result, the chance of re-attack of disease will be reduced.
3. Seed bed should be prepared in the high land so that the water from other crop
field won't enter the seed bed.
4. During the time of planting the seedlings, without cutting leaves and using urea
fertilizer according to need would be an effort to check the disease.
5. Management of the removal of water should be in good condition so that sunlight
can fall on the land without any disturbance.
6. The harmfulness of the disease may be reduced if bleaching powder (2kg/Hectare)
is used during irrigation.
7. Resistant varieties of paddy species, such as- Mala, Biplob, Asha, and BRRI-29
should be cultivated.
8. 2 Kg bleaching powder should be used per hector affected crop field.
9. In affected crop field 2 kg. bleaching powder should be used per hector. Phenyl
sulphuric acited M. chloramphenicol 10-20 litter mixture spraying in the affected
field disease may be controlled