CHAPTER 18: MONERANS PROKARYOTES

Prokaryotes are organisms that lack a cell nucleus and any membrane-bound organelles. All members of the kingdom Monera are prokaryotes.

The common characteristics of all prokaryotes are: 1. Prokaryotes do not have a nucleus (they do have nucleic acid DNA). 2. Prokaryotes do not have membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts. 3. Prokaryotes do have ribosomes that are different from the ribosomes of eukaryotes.

. Almost all prokaryotes are smaller than the smallest eukaryote. !. Most prokaryotes are single-celled organisms.

EVOLUTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MONERANS

"iologists ha#e di#ided the kingdom Monera into t$o groups: 1. A%&'A("A&T(%)A 2. (*"A&T(%)A

Archaebacteria:
These are a group of monerans that live in unusually harsh environments. They are chemically distinct from other monerans in se#eral $ays. The cell $alls+ cell membranes+ and ribosomal %,A of archaebacteria are different from those of other monerans. Archaebacteria can live where no other organisms can survive.

They can be di#ided into

groups:

1. Methanogens: these archaebacteria produce methane and li#e in o-ygen.free en#ironments. /ethanogens can be found in s$amps+ marshes+ mammals+ and are used industrially to treat se$age and to help purify $aste $ater. 2. Thermoacidophiles: these archaebacteria li#e in e-tremely hot (01o & 2 2!1o &) and acidic $ater. &olonies of thermoacidophiles glisten at the edges of near boiling hot springs. ,o other organisms can li#e in these $aters. 3. Chemosynthesizers: these archaebacteria use inorganic compounds as an energy source. They flourish in the deep.sea hot springs formed by #olcanic #ents on the ocean floor. 4. Extreme Halophiles: these archaebacteria li#e in e-tremely salty conditions+

such as 3reat 4alt 5ake in *tah and the 6ead 4ea in )srael. The salt content on the 6ead 4ea is 317. These bacteria gro$ in $ater that is 8 times saltier than sea$ater and $here no other li#ing organisms can sur#i#e.

E bacteria:
The so.called true bacteria are all the organisms traditionally kno$n as bacteria. (ubacteria can be di#ided into #arious subgroups including: gram-positive bacteria gram-negative bacteria cyanobacteria. 3ram.positi#e and gram.negati#e are terms for the $ay bacteria respond to a procedure called 3ram.staining. )n 3ram.staining+ bacteria are stained $ith a purple dye and iodine and rinsed in alcohol. Then the bacteria are stained $ith red dye. 6epending on the structure of the cell $alls+ the bacterium absorbs the red or purple dye.

Gram-Positive acteria! ha#e thick $alls made of a protein.sugar comple- that takes on a purple colour during 3ram.staining. 4ome gram.positi#e bacteria include those found in yogurt+ buttermilk+ antibiotics and to-ins that cause human diseases. Gram-Negative acteria: ha#e an e"tra layer o# lipid on the outside of the cell $all and appear pink after staining. 4ome of these bacteria cause infection and some (rhi9obacteria) fi- nitrogen from the atmosphere in to a form that the plants and the animals that eat the plants can use. $yanobacteria! are gram-negative monerans that per#orm plant-like photosynthesis and release o-ygen as a by.product. They are much larger than many other prokaryotes and pro#ide food for other organisms.

M!"era" Re#$irati!"

"acteria can be distinguished on the basis of their re:uirements for the presence or absence of o-ygen. (ubacteria are typically aerobic+ meaning they re%uire o"ygen for cellular respiration. An organism that cannot survive without o"ygen is called an obligate aerobe. ;ne that cannot survive with o"ygen is called an obligate anaerobe. &acultative anaerobes are aerobic but ha#e the ability (or facility) to function in the absence of o-ygen. Another fundamental distinction among bacteria is $hether they are heterotrophic or autotrophic. /ost are heterotrophic and get their nutrients from their en#ironments+ but there are some photosynthetic and e#en some chemosynthetic autotrophs. "oth types of autotrophs rely on a source of energy (light or chemical) to manufacture the organic molecules re:uired for respiration.

M!"era" Re$r!% cti!":

. /ost monerans reproduce by 'NA() &'**'+N+ $hich is a method of reproduction in $hich the 6,A of the monerans replicates (doubles) after $hich the cell di#ides producing t$o identical cells. This form of reproduction occurs during normal conditions. "inary <ission is a form of ase"ual reproduction+ one cell creating two identical daughter cells. ;ccasionally bacteria do e-change genetic information. The e"changing o# genetic material is called se"ual reproduction. These forms of reproduction occur in harsh or stress#ul environments. 4ome bacteria can e-change genes by one of , special means.

1. Conjugation is the process of e-changing genetic material through cell-to-cell contact. &on=ugation is a form of se-ual reproduction. 6uring con=ugation+ 6,A mo#es from one bacterial cell to another and as a result+ the 6,A in the con=ugating cells changes increasing the di#ersity of the generations that follo$. The bacteria are attached together by special hair. like structures called P'-'. 2. Trans!ormation the process by $hich bacterial cells pick up and incorporate DNA #rom dead bacterial cells of the same or a closely related species. 3. Transduction using a virus /bacteriophage0 to trans#er DNA from one bacterial cell to another. ENDOSPORES 4ome bacteria ha#e a special means of sur#i#ing difficult conditions. >hen li#ing conditions become unfa#orable+ some bacteria form special dehydrated cells called 1ND+*P+(1*. (ndospores ha#e

thick $alls and can resist heat+ drought+ and radiation.

Practica& U#e# !' (acteria

"acteria is not =ust a disease causing organism+ it is both beneficial and essential for humans. 1. coli+ $hich is present in the colon+ metaboli9es fecal material and allo$s animals to absorb the minerals and 2itamin 3 that is produced. "acteria are also used in the process of producing recombinant DNA. )n recombinant 6,A+ DNA #rom another source is placed in the bacterial DNA creating a ne$ useful strain. %esearchers ha#e also de#eloped techni:ues enabling them to utili9e bacteria to mass. produce proteins of specific interest+ like hormones+ insulin+ and blood clotting factor.

BACTERIAL SHAPES *4AP1 APP1A(AN$1 NAM1 *pherical coccus

-Streptococcus -Pneumococcus

(od-shaped

bacillus
-Escherichia coli -(E. coli)

*piral

spirillum
-Treponema pallidum -(syphilis)