Bacteria - Definition, Structure, Diagram, Types & Classification

Bacteria - Definition, Structure, Diagram, Types & Classification

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Nov 30, 2024 12:23 PM IST

Bacteria Definition

Bacteria are unicellular organisms belonging to the prokaryotic group where the organisms lack a few organelles and a true nucleus.

The study of bacterial cells is known as bacteriology. Bacteriology is the subfield of microbiology which involves identification, classification and characterization of various bacterial cells. In our daily life, Bacteria is useful, for example during the formation of curd at that time lactobacillus bacteria forms curd from milk. Bacteria are an important topic in Biology and they carry a weightage of 5-6% in NEET and 4-5% in CBSE and other Paramedical Exams.

This Story also Contains
  1. Bacteria Definition
  2. Bacteria Diagram
  3. Ultrastructure of a Bacteria Cell
  4. Classification of Bacteria
  5. Bacteria Functions
  6. Examples of Bacteria
  7. Surviving conditions of Bacteria
Bacteria - Definition, Structure, Diagram, Types & Classification
Bacteria - Definition, Structure, Diagram, Types & Classification

Bacteria Diagram

The structure of a typical bacterial cell with its various parts is depicted in the bacteria diagram below. The cell wall, cytoplasm, plasmid, and flagella are clearly marked in the diagram.

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Ultrastructure of a Bacteria Cell

Generally, all bacteria have cell walls and cell membranes. The cell membrane is made up of a lipid bilayer which provides fluidity to the cell membrane, And the cell wall is made up of peptidoglycan which provides a rigid structure to the cell.

The cell wall is the thick structure then the cell membrane. The cell membrane covers the cytoplasmic region of the bacterial cell, the cytoplasmic region is reached with DNA, protein, ribosome, vacuoles and storage body.

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Classification of Bacteria

According to Gram staining, Bacteria are divided into Gram-positive Bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria. Gram staining differentiates a bacterium in Gram-positive or Gram-negative nature based on the cell wall composition of that particular bacteria.

Classification of bacteria based on Shape

Type of ClassificationExamples

Bacillus (Rod-shaped)

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Spirilla or spirochete (Spiral)

Spirillum volutans

Coccus (Sphere)

Streptococcus pneumoniae
Vibrio (Comma-shaped)Vibrio cholerae

Based on gram staining:

  • Gram-positive bacteria

  • Gram-negative bacteria.

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Gram-positive Bacteria characteristics

  • Gram-positive bacteria do not have an outer membrane, while in Gram-negative bacteria outer membrane is present.

  • Gram-positive bacteria appear blue or purple under the microscope.

  • The cell wall is the structure surrounding the cell’s membrane.

  • In Gram-positive bacteria cell walls are made of multiple layers of molecules, less lipid and protein.

  • The cell wall protects the bacteria from killing or any type of damage

  • In Gram-positive bacteria, the peptidoglycan is 20 to 80 nm (nanometer) thick

Gram-negative Bacteria characteristics

  • Gram-negative bacteria are made up of a thinner layer of peptidoglycan.

  • They also have a lipid membrane at the outer region and protect the cell from the surrounding environment.

  • Whereas this peptidoglycan layer is only 2 to 3 nm thick in Gram-negative bacteria.

  • Due to this lipid membrane layer, they are more resistant to antibiotics and other drugs. Although Gram-negative bacteria are more challenging to treat with drugs or chemical compounds.

Bacteria Functions

Bacteria are useful in the following sectors for daily human uses:

  • Fermentative nature

  • Acid production

  • Antibiotics production

  • Metabolites production

  • Bacteria are used as probiotics

  • Helps in curd formation

  • It able to degrade complex nutrients

  • It produces vitamins, amino acid

Examples of Bacteria

Following are some examples of bacteria which are commonly found:

  • Escherichia coli

  • Clostridium botulinum

  • Lactobacillus species

  • Actinobacteria

  • Bacillus stearothermophilus

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  • Salmonella typhi

Surviving conditions of Bacteria

A bacteria which can live in extreme conditions from the human point of view. Extreme conditions include High temperature, Low temperature, High pH, Low pH, High pressure, and High salt concentration. Examples of extremophiles are shown in the below table.

Extreme conditions

Bacteria Name

Examples

High temperature

  • Thermophile

  • Thermus aquatics

High pH condition

  • Alkaliphiles

  • Bacillus, Pseudomonas.

Low temperature

  • Psychrophiles

  • Psychroflexus, Psychrobacter

Low pH

  • Acidophiles

  • Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

High pressure

  • Piezophiles

  • Halomonas Salaria

High salt concentration

  • Halophiles

  • Salinibacter

Facts about Bacteria

Based on their effect on humans, bacteria are categorized into beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria.

  • Beneficial bacteria live on the body surface and it is also known as human microbial flora.

  • Pathogenic bacteria can cause diseases in the human body such as tuberculosis and Syphilis disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis and Treponema pallidum respectively.

  • Based on the presence or absence of flagella, Bacteria can be divided into motile bacteria and non-motile bacteria.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the examples of extremophiles?

Thermus aquaticus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Psychroflexus, Psychrobacter, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Halomonas salaria, Salinibacter are the examples of extremophiles.

2. What is the use of bacteria?

For fermentative process, Use in acid production, For antibiotics production, For metabolites production, Probiotics formation, use in curd formation, Use in production of vitamins, amino acid.

3. What is the meaning of fascinating bacteria?

Fascinating bacteria means bacteria possessed unique characteristics, which are not shown by other normal bacteria.

4. Who is the father of biology?

Aristotle is the father of biology.

5. What do you mean by bacteria?

Bacteria are small in size and single cell organisms which are not seen by the naked eye.

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Questions related to

Get answers from students and experts

Question : Comprehension:
 Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

Key factors influencing subway air pollution will include station depth, date of construction, type of ventilation (natural/air conditioning), types of brakes (electromagnetic or conventional brake pads) and wheels (rubber or steel) used on the trains, train frequency and more recently the presence or absence of platform screen-door systems. In particular, much subway particulate matter is sourced from moving train parts such as wheels and brake pads, as well as from the steel rails and power-supply materials, making the particles dominantly iron-containing. To date, there is no clear epidemiological indication of abnormal health effects on underground workers and commuters. New York subway workers have been exposed to such air without significant observed impacts on their health, and no increased risk of lung cancer was found among subway train drivers in the Stockholm subway system. But a note of caution is struck by the observations of scholars who found that employees working on the platforms of Stockholm underground, where PM concentrations were greatest, tended to have higher levels of risk markers for cardiovascular disease than ticket sellers and train drivers. The dominantly ferrous particles are mixed with particles from a range of other sources, including rock ballast from the track, biological aerosols such as bacteria and viruses, and air from the outdoors, and driven through the tunnel system on turbulent air currents generated by the trains themselves and ventilation systems.

Question

What is the tone of the speaker?

Option 1: Serious

Option 2: Pessimistic

Option 3: Joyful

Option 4: Informal

Correct Answer: Serious


Solution : The correct option is the first option.

Explanation:
The tone of the speaker is serious as it discusses various factors influencing subway air pollution, particularly focusing on the sources of particulate matter, health risks for subway workers, and the mix of particles within the subway system.

The language used is factual and analytical, examining the potential health impacts without conclusive evidence and citing observations and studies. There's a sense of concern and caution regarding the potential health risks associated with subway air pollution, which contributes to an overall serious tone in the passage.

Therefore, the correct answer is serious.

Question : Comprehension:

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

All foodstuffs change. Green fruits become ripe and eggs go bad or rotten. It is the enzymes naturally present in each food which bring about the complex chemical changes that lead first to ripening and then to rotting.

How does one control the activity of enzymes, bacteria, yeasts and moulds in food? All of them require air, moisture and a certain temperature, usually somewhere near the body temperature, to be active. Depriving them of one or more of these will suppress them. All microorganisms can be killed by heat sterilisation. This simply means heating the food to high enough temperatures by boiling, deep or shallow frying, roasting, baking and, for milk particularly, pasteurisation. After such sterilisation, if the food is sealed in airtight containers, it can be kept for a long time. A certain water content in food is necessary for microorganisms to be active. Drying in the sun is a simple way of bringing down the moisture level so low that the enzymes and microorganisms cannot flourish.

Some chemicals can suppress undesirable activity. The addition of salt, vinegar, spices and oil or sugar syrup are other ways of preventing foods from going bad. If heating kills, freezing inactivates the enzymes and microorganisms. This is what happens in a refrigerator, in which fruits, vegetables and milk can be kept for fairly long periods. For meat and fish, even colder temperatures, below freezing point, are necessary for preservation. All foods which are kept cold in this way, once taken out and returned to room temperature, are again subject to spoilage and change.

Question:
What action does freezing have on the enzymes?

Option 1: It activates them

Option 2: It kills them

Option 3: It preserves them

Option 4: It inactivates them

Correct Answer: It inactivates them


Solution : The fourth option is the correct choice.

The passage in the third paragraph mentions that freezing inactivates the enzymes and microorganisms. This helps to preserve food.

Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

Key factors influencing subway air pollution will include station depth, date of construction, type of ventilation (natural or air conditioning), types of brakes (electromagnetic or conventional brake pads) and wheels (rubber or steel) used on the trains, train frequency, and more recently, the presence or absence of platform screen-door systems.

In particular, much subway particulate matter is sourced from moving train parts such as wheels and brake pads, as well as from the steel rails and power supply materials, making the particles predominantly iron-containing.

To date, there is no clear epidemiological indication of abnormal health effects on underground workers and commuters. New York subway workers have been exposed to such air without significant observed impacts on their health, and no increased risk of lung cancer was found among subway train drivers in the Stockholm subway system.

But a note of caution is struck by the observations of scholars who found that employees working on the platforms of Stockholm underground, where PM concentrations were greatest, tended to have higher levels of risk markers for cardiovascular disease than ticket sellers and train drivers.

The dominantly ferrous particles are mixed with particles from a range of other sources, including rock ballast from the track, biological aerosols such as bacteria and viruses, and air from the outdoors, and driven through the tunnel system on turbulent air currents generated by the trains themselves and ventilation systems.

Question:
Inferring from the passage, what is the most practical way of reducing the health risk of subway life?

Option 1: Generating ventilation systems.

Option 2: Opting for other transportation modes.

Option 3: Wearing face masks during journey.

Option 4: Reducing subway commutation.

Correct Answer: Generating ventilation systems.


Solution : The correct choice is the first option.

The passage mentions factors influencing subway air pollution. It also discusses the observation that employees working on platforms with higher particulate matter concentrations tend to have higher levels of risk markers for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, improving ventilation systems in the subway environment could be a practical measure to reduce the health risks associated with subway life.

Therefore, generating ventilation system is the most practical way of reducing the health risk of subway life.

Question : Comprehension:

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

All foodstuffs change. Green fruits become ripe and eggs go bad or rotten. It is the enzymes naturally present in each food which bring about the complex chemical changes that lead first to ripening and then to rotting.

How does one control the activity of enzymes, bacteria, yeasts and moulds in food? All of them require air, moisture and a certain temperature, usually somewhere near the body temperature, to be active. Depriving them of one or more of these will suppress them. All microorganisms can be killed by heat sterilisation. This simply means heating the food to high enough temperatures by boiling, deep or shallow frying, roasting, baking and, for milk particularly, pasteurisation. After such sterilisation, if the food is sealed in airtight containers, it can be kept for a long time. A certain water content in food is necessary for microorganisms to be active. Drying in the sun is a simple way of bringing down the moisture level so low that the enzymes and microorganisms cannot flourish.

Some chemicals can suppress undesirable activity. The addition of salt, vinegar, spices and oil or sugar syrup are other ways of preventing foods from going bad. If heating kills, freezing inactivates the enzymes and microorganisms. This is what happens in a refrigerator, in which fruits, vegetables and milk can be kept for fairly long periods. For meat and fish, even colder temperatures, below freezing point, are necessary for preservation. All foods which are kept cold in this way, once taken out and returned to room temperature, are again subject to spoilage and change.

Question:
Which of these is NOT required for the growth of bacteria?

Option 1: Air

Option 2: Optimum temperature

Option 3: Chemicals

Option 4: Moisture

Correct Answer: Chemicals


Solution : The third option is the correct choice.

As stated at the start of the second paragraph, bacteria require air, optimum temperature, and moisture to be active. Thus, bacteria do not require chemicals to be active.

Question : Comprehension:

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

All foodstuffs change. Green fruits become ripe and eggs go bad or rotten. It is the enzymes naturally present in each food which bring about the complex chemical changes that lead first to ripening and then to rotting.

How does one control the activity of enzymes, bacteria, yeasts and moulds in food? All of them require air, moisture and a certain temperature, usually somewhere near the body temperature, to be active. Depriving them of one or more of these will suppress them. All microorganisms can be killed by heat sterilisation. This simply means heating the food to high enough temperatures by boiling, deep or shallow frying, roasting, baking and, for milk particularly, pasteurisation. After such sterilisation, if the food is sealed in airtight containers, it can be kept for a long time. A certain water content in food is necessary for microorganisms to be active. Drying in the sun is a simple way of bringing down the moisture level so low that the enzymes and microorganisms cannot flourish.

Some chemicals can suppress undesirable activity. The addition of salt, vinegar, spices and oil or sugar syrup are other ways of preventing foods from going bad. If heating kills, freezing inactivates the enzymes and microorganisms. This is what happens in a refrigerator, in which fruits, vegetables and milk can be kept for fairly long periods. For meat and fish, even colder temperatures, below freezing point, are necessary for preservation. All foods which are kept cold in this way, once taken out and returned to room temperature, are again subject to spoilage and change.

Question:
The main theme of the passage is:

Option 1: Chemicals in foodstuff

Option 2: Ripening of fruit

Option 3: Production of micro-organisms

Option 4: Preservation of food

Correct Answer: Preservation of food


Solution : The fourth option is correct.

The given passage initially talks about the changes that take place in food articles over time. Then we are introduced to some methods to check the growth of various microorganisms inside food items. And finally, some chemicals, such as salt and vinegar, are also mentioned that help in the preservation of foods. It can be concluded that the primary theme of the passage is the preservation of food.

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