ASSIGNMENT

IN
MICROBIOLOGY

Aubrey Nativity O. Yangzon

 What is the difference between pili and fimbrae?

S.N. Characteristics Fimbriae Pili

1 Definition Fimbriae are tiny Pili are hair like
bristle-like fibers microfibers that are
arising from the thick tubular
surface of bacterial structure made up
cells. of pilin.
2 Length Shorter than pili Longer than
fimbriae.
3 Diameter Thin Thicker than
fimbriae.
4 Number No. of fimbriae are No of pili are less 1-
200-400 per cell. 10 per cell.
5 Made up of Fimbrillin protein. Pilin protein.
6 Rigidity Less rigid. More rigid than
fimbriae.
7 Found in Both gram positive Only gram negative
and gram negative bacteria.
bacteria.
8 Formation Is governed by Is governed by
bacterial genes in the plasmid genes.
nucleoid region.
9 Function Responsible for cell Responsible for
to surface bacterial
attachment. conjugation.
Specialized for Two basic function
attachment i.e. of pili. They are
enable the cell to gene transfer and
adhere the surfaces attachment.
of other bacteria.
10 Motility Do not function in Type IV pili shows
active motility. twitching type of
motility.
11 Receptors No receptors of Serve as receptor
other. for certain viruses.
12 Examples Salmonella Escherichia coli,
typhimurium, Shigella Neisseria
dysenteriae. gonorrhoeae.
Shigella Neisseria
dysenteriae uses its gonorrhoeae, the
 fimbriae to attach to cause of
the intestine and then gonorrhea, uses pili
produces a toxin that to attach to the
causes diarrhea. urogenital and
cervical epithelium
when it causes
disease.

1. Do all bacteria have cell walls?

Some bacteria lack cell walls. For most bacterial cells, the cell wall is critical
to cell survival, yet there are some bacteria that do not have cell walls. Mycoplasma
species are widespread examples and some can be intracellular pathogens that grow
inside their hosts
2. How does the bacterial cell wall differ from the archaeal type?
The bacterial cell wall differ from the archaeal type is the type of cell wall in a bacterial
cell is peptidoglycan/lipopolysaccharide while in an archaeal type the cell wall is only
psuedopeptidoglycan.
3. What is the difference between gram positive and gram negative cell wall?

Gram-negative Gram-positive Bacteria

Bacteria

Gram reaction Can be decolourized to accept counter stain Retain crystal

(Safranin or Fuchsine); stain red or pink, they violet dye and
don't retain the Gram stain when washed with stain dark
absolute alcohol and acetone. violet or
purple, they
remain
coloured blue
or purple with
gram stain
when washed
with absolute
alcohol and
water.

Peptidoglycan layer Thin (single-layered) Thick

(multilayered)

Teichoic acids Absent Present in

many

Periplasmic space present Absent

Outer membrane Present Absent

Gram-negative Gram-positive Bacteria
Bacteria

Lipopolysaccharide High Virtually none

(LPS) content

Lipid and lipoprotein High (due to presence of outer membrane) Low (acid-fast
content bacteria have
lipids linked to
peptidoglycan)

Flagellar structure 4 rings in basal body 2 rings in

basal body

Toxins produced Primarily Endotoxins Primarily

Exotoxins

Resistance to physical Low High

disruption

Inhibition by basic Low High

dyes

Susceptibility to Low High

anionic detergents

Resistance to sodium Low High

azide

Resistance to drying Low High

Cell wall composition The cell wall is 70-120 Armstrong thick two The cell wall is
layered.The lipid content is 20-30% (High), 100-120
whereas Murein content is 10-20% (Low). Armstrong
thick, single
layered. The
Lipid content
of the cell wall
is low ,
whereas
Murein
content is 70-
80% (Higher).
Gram-negative Gram-positive Bacteria
Bacteria

Mesosome Mesosome is less prominent. Mesosome is

more
prominent.

Antibiotic Resistance More resistant to antibiotics. More

susceptible to
antibiotics

4. How does the acid-fast cell wall differ from the gram negative and gram positive cell wall?
Gram-positive cell walls consist of many layers of peptidoglycan and also contain
teichoic acids. Teichoic acids
Gram-negative bacteria have a lipopolysaccharide-lipoprotein-phospholipid outer
membrane surrounding a thin (sometimes a single) peptidoglycan layer. Gram-negative
cell walls have no teichoic acids.
A gram + cell wall (thick) retains the crystal-violet iodine complex better in teh presence
of decolorizer as compared to gram - cell, which has a thin cell wall
Peptidoglycan is the basic structural components of most bacterial cell walls. It is a
molecule composed of four amino acids (peptido-) and two sugars (-glycan). These
individual peptidoglycan units are cross-linked throughout the cell wall, providing a
tough protective barrier. The enzyme Transpeptidase performs the cross-linking
reaction and is target of Beta-lactam Antibiotics and Vancomycin.
Gram Positive Bacteria possess a thick layer of peptidoglycan that directly
invests the cell membrane. The gram positive cell wall often contains chains of the
sugar Teichoic Acid which is highly inflammatory and can induce Septic Shock when
released at systemically high concentrations in humans.
Gram negative bacteria possess a much thinner layer of peptidoglycan that lies
above but does not directly invest the cell membrane and does not contain Teichoic
Acid . Above the peptidoglycan layer lies a second lipid bilayer called the "Outer
Membrane" which possess a unique molecule called Lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
Lipopolysaccharide contains both lipid (lipo-) and multiple sugar (-polysaccharide)
components and induces severe inflammation in humans when released. At high
systemic levels it can induce Septic Shock. Multiple molecules are present in the space
between the gram negative inner and outer membranes (termed the Periplasmic
Space), including bacterial proteins which can inactivate antibiotics such as Beta-
lactamases.
Acid-Fast Bacteria possess a unique cell wall architecture different from both
gram negative and gram positive bacteria. The Acid-Fast cell wall consists of a thick,
outer lipid-rich layer composed primarily of the fatty acid "Mycolic Acid". This lipid layer
lies on top of a layer of peptidoglycan and the sugar arabinogalactan which in turn
invest the inner lipid membrane common to all bacteria. The thick outer mycolic acid
layer renders acid-fast bacteria resistant to gram stain. When stained with alternative
 dyes, the cell wall is resistant to decolorization with acid alcohol, thus giving these
bacteria their namesake of "Acid-Fast".
A few bacteria do not possess cell walls and are contained only by the inner
membrane. Not surprisingly, these bacteria are pleomorphic and thus lack a distinct
shape.
5. How does the cell membrane of the Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya differ from each other?
Archaea
Prokaryote
Lives in more extreme environment than bacteria
Does not have Peptidoglycan in cell wall
Has unique RNA
Not sensitive to antibiotics that affect bacteria but
are to some that affect eukarya
Bacteria
Prokaryote
Has Peptidoglycan
Has unique RNA
Sensitive to traditional antibiotic
Eukarya
Eukaryote
Has different kingdoms under it
Resistant to antibiotics that affect bacteria
Not all have cell walls, but if do it does not contain
Peptidoglycan