THE BACTERIAL CELL:

Classification and
Morphology

ARTHUR C. BENIGNOS II M.D.

Department of Microbiology and
Parasitology
Davao Medical School Foundation
 Differences between
Prokaryote and Eukaryote
Prokaryote Eukaryote
DNA free in the DNA is contained with a
cytoplasm membrane-bound
nucleus
Cell division by binary Cells divide by mitosis
fission
Energy metabolism Mitochondria present in
associated with the most cases
cytoplasmic
membrane
 Differences between
Prokaryote and Eukaryote
Flagella consist of one Flagella have a complex
protein structure with 9+2
microtubular structure
Ribosomes are of 80S
Ribosomes are of 70S type type

Polysaccharide cell walls,

Peptidoglycan cell walls
where present, are
generally either
cellulose or chitin
Bacterial Forms
Spheres or Cocci
Singly, in pairs with both apposing sides
flattened
(diplococci), in chains (streptococci), groups of
fours
(tetrads), or in grape-like clusters
(staphylococci)
Rods or Bacilli
Very short (coccobacilli), long filaments
(incomplete separation), fusiform (tapered
ends), club-shaped, comma-shaped (vibrioid)
Spiral or Spirilli
Bacterial Forms
Bacterial Forms
Pleomorphism
 Lack rigid cell wall
 No defined shape
 Variation of size and shape
 Assymetric growth of cell wall
Aggregation properties
 Long chains, irregular clustering, etc
 Determined by orientation of cell division
planes and tendency to adhere
Bacterial Size
 Vary in size from 0.4 – 5 µm
 Hundred-fold larger than virus
 Ten-fold smaller than eukaryotic
cell
 Spirillar forms can be many times
longer than their cross-sectional
diameter
 Bacterial Ultrastructure

 Cell envelope
 Cytoplasmic structures
 External appendages
Cell Envelope

 Term applied to the material

external to and enclosing the
cytoplasm
 Most prominent layers:
 Cell wall
 Cell membrane
Cell Wall
Functions:
 Prevent from exploding in hypotonic
solutions due to its high internal
osmotic pressure
 Determines the shape of bacterial cell
Cell Wall
 Also known as peptidoglycan layer
 Peptido portion: short string of
amino acids cross-linking the
carbohydrate units
 Glycan portion: linear polymer of
alternating monosaccharide
subunits of
 N-acetylglucosamine (NAG)
 N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM)
Cell Membrane

 Composed of phospholipids
forming two parallel layers (lipid
bilayer)
 Polar phosphate groups: facing
outside
 Non-polar lipid chains: on the
inside
 Does not differ from human cell
 Cell Membrane
 Selective permeability: easily allows
lipid-soluble small molecules (O2,
CO2)
 Specific protein contents:
 Porins – channels
 Permeases – carriers for specific
substances
 Contains the ATP-producing
mechanism
 Gram-positive Cell
Envelope
 Thick multilayered peptidoglycan
cell wall external to the bacterial
cell membrane
 Teichoic acids
 Polymer of glycerol units
 Present in all Gram-positive organisms
 Major cell surface antigens
 Gram-negative Cell
Envelope

Outer membrane
 Contain lipopolysaccharides which is antigenic
(O-polysaccharide portion) and toxic (lipid
portion)
 Lipid A: endotoxin of Gram-negative
organisms
Periplasmic space
 Contains the thin peptidoglycan cell wall
 Also contain enzymes and other various
substances
External Capsule and
Glycocalyx
Capsule
 Usually polysaccharide but
sometimes made of protein
 Tightly bound to the bacterial cell and
has organized structure
Glycocalyx
 Loosely bound to bacterial cell and
amorphous
External Capsule and
Glycocalyx
Functions
 Allow bacterial cells to adhere to
surfaces
 Protection from antibodies and
phagocytosis
 Diffusion barriers against some
antibiotics
Appendages
Flagella
 Long semi-rigid, helical, hollow
tubular structures composed of
flagellin
 For motility
 Responds to chemotactic stimulus
 Attached to cell wall and cell
membrane by a basal body that
rotates the flagellum
 Highly antigenic (H-antigen)
Appendages
Pili or fimbriae
 Shorter and thinner than flagella
 Attachment organs for cell-to-cell
contact
 Bacterium-mucosal cells (Neisseria
gonorrhea)

Bacterium-bacterium (Eschericia coli)
through sex pili for donation of DNA
molecules
 Cytoplasmic Structures

 Cytoplasm
 Nucleoid
 Ribosomes
 Inclusions
 Endospores
 Plasmids
 Mesosomes
Cytoplasm

 Complex mixture of substances

enclosed by the cell envelope
 Consists of amorphous aqueous
fluid
 Where suspended or dissolved are
 Enzymes, ions, metabolites, storage
granules
 Fibrous mass of densely packed DNA,
RNA and proteins, also plasmids
Nucleoid
 Fibrous mass of genetic material
 Double-stranded circular DNA
composing the bacterial singular
chromosome
 Associated RNA and proteins
 No discernible membrane
enclosure
 Plasmids
 Small fraction of circular double-
stranded DNA molecules that exists
and replicates autonomously
 Carry genes for a variety of functions
not essential for bacterial cell
viability
 Enhance bacterial survival by
 conveying antibiotic resistance
 enhancing mating ability

making possible toxin production
Ribosomes
 Responsible for polymerization of
amino acids into proteins (as in
eukaryotes)
 Differ in composition and size from
eukaryotic ribosomes
 70S (50S, 30S) as against 80S (60S, 40S) of
eukaryotes
 53 proteins as against 80+ proteins among
eukaryotes
Cytoplasmic Inclusions
 Accumulations of food reserves
 Polysaccarides
 Lipids
 Polyphosphates
 Maybe membrane-bound or
scattered in the cytoplasm
 Endospores
 Dormant form within vegetative cell
 Can be released as free spores
 Rich in calcium dipicolinate
 Most resistant life forms known
 Heat (survive boiling)
 Dessication
 Ultraviolet light
 Bacteriocidal chemical agents
 Destroyed by autoclaving
 Sporulation
 Formation of spore within vegetative
cell
 Process
 Invagination of parent cell membrane
 Isolation of copy of bacterial DNA
 Formation of new cell wall
(peptidoglycan)
 Formation of outer keratin-like external
coat
 Formation of external lipoprotein layer
Spore Germination
 Return of spore form to vegetative
state
 Occurs in nutritionally-rich
environment
 Process
 Destruction of cortex by lytic
enzymes
 Uptake of water
 Release of dipicolinate from the cell
Medical Significance of
Sporulation
 Most notorious pathogens are
spore-formers
 Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)
 Clostridium botulinum (Botulism)
 Clostridium perfringens (Gas
gangrene)
 Spores can remain viable for many
years
Mesosomes
 Complex invaginations of bacterial
cell membrane
 Seem to be involved in
chromosome separation
 May be evolutionarily related to
nuclear envelope of eukaryotes
Nucleoid
GOOD MORNING.