Classification of Microorganisms

All organisms that are very small or microscopic in size, and cannot be seen with the naked eye
are referred to as microorganisms. Microorganisms are visible under the microscope. Anton van
Leeuwenhoek first observed microorganisms under the microscope. Microorganisms include
bacteria, archaea, algae, fungi, protozoa, etc. Although viruses are not considered living
organisms, sometimes they are also included in the microorganisms category.

Classification is the process by which organisms are grouped into various categories based on
morphological and physiological characteristics. There have been various attempts to classify
organisms based on their morphological, physiological, cellular and molecular characteristics.
Modern classification is also based on evolutionary relationships i.e. phylogenetic relationships.

Microorganisms are prokaryotic, such as bacteria, archaea,etc., as well as eukaryotic, such as

protozoa, algae, fungi, etc. R.H. Whittaker elucidated the Five Kingdom Classification, which
was based on the following characteristics:

 Cell type (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) and presence of nuclear membrane

 Presence of cell wall and its constituents
 Body organisation
 Mode of nutrition
 Mode of reproduction
 Phylogenetic relationships

Based on the following characteristics, R. H. Whittaker divided living organisms into five
kingdoms. They are as follows:

1. Monera – Unicellular prokaryotes

2. Protista – Unicellular eukaryotes
3. Fungi – Eukaryotic, heterotrophic (saprophytic/ parasitic) and with a cell wall (chitin)
4. Plantae – Eukaryotic, autotrophic (photosynthetic) and with a cell wall (cellulose)
5. Animalia – Eukaryotic, heterotrophic (holozoic/ saprophytic etc.) and without a cell wall

Let’s learn more in detail about the classification of microorganisms based on the Five Kingdom
Classification.

Prokaryotic microorganisms include bacteria, cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, archaea,

mycoplasma, etc. Eukaryotic microorganisms include protists, protozoans, slime moulds, algae,
fungi, etc.

Bacteria (Monera)
As per the Five Kingdom Classification, bacteria are classified in the kingdom Monera. It
includes Eubacteria and Archaebacteria. They are all unicellular, have a prokaryotic cell which is
devoid of a membrane-bound nucleus, and other organelles such as endoplasmic reticulum,
mitochondria, Golgi bodies, etc.

Later, archaebacteria were placed into a different domain of the three-domain system, i.e.
Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya.

Bacteria are the most abundant microorganisms and are present almost everywhere. They are
classified as Gram-positive and Gram-negative, based on the Gram’s staining pattern.

Based on the shape of the cell, bacteria are classified into four main groups that are as follows:

 Coccus or cocci (spherical)

 Bacillus or bacilli (rod-shaped)
 Spirillum or spirilla (spiral)
 Vibrium or vibrio (comma-shaped)

Eubacteria

They are true bacteria. They have a rigid cell wall and may contain flagella. They are autotrophic
as well as heterotrophic. Bacteria reproduce by binary fission and DNA transfer. Some bacteria
produce spores under unfavourable conditions. Mycoplasma does not contain a cell wall.

 Photosynthetic autotrophs: This includes blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. They

contain chlorophyll ‘a’ similar to green plants, and perform photosynthesis. Some
cyanobacteria are also capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. E.g. Nostoc and
Anabaena.
 Chemosynthetic autotrophs: These microorganisms utilise energy derived from the
oxidation of inorganic substances such as nitrates, ammonia, sulphur, etc. and produce
ATP. These organisms play an important role in nutrient recycling. E.g. purple sulphur
bacteria.
 Heterotrophs: They are widely distributed and play a key role in the ecosystem as
decomposers. They play a significant role in our lives. They are used for the industrial
production of antibiotics, organic acids, etc. They also act as nitrogen-fixers, e.g.
Rhizobium in the root nodules of legumes. Some bacteria are pathogenic to plants and
animals causing various diseases, e.g. cholera, tuberculosis, typhoid, botulism, tetanus,
citrus canker, fire blight of apple, etc.

Archaebacteria

They can thrive in extreme environmental conditions. They have different cell wall
compositions, which enable them to survive in harsh conditions. The cell membrane of archaea is
ether-linked as compared to ester-linked in bacteria. They are further classified into three main
groups:
  Methanogens – They are found in marshy areas. They are found in the gut of many
ruminating animals and are utilised for the commercial production of methane (biogas).
 Halophiles – They are found in extreme salty areas.
 Thermoacidophiles – They can tolerate extreme temperatures and low pH. They are
found in hot springs.

Protozoa
In the Five Kingdom classification, protozoans are classified under the kingdom Protista, which
includes unicellular eukaryotes. Protozoans are heterotrophs. They live as parasites or predators.

On the basis of their mode of locomotion, they are classified into four major groups. They are:

 Amoeboid – They have pseudopodia, which is used for movement and capturing prey.
E.g. Amoeba, Entamoeba, etc.
 Flagellated – These protozoans are flagellated. They are either free-living or parasites.
E.g. Trypanosoma, the causative organism of sleeping sickness, Leishmania, which
causes kala-azar, etc.
 Ciliated – They are aquatic and have thousands of cilia present on the body surface, e.g.
Paramoecium. Cilia also help in bringing water laden with food inside the cavity of the
gullet.
 Sporozoans – They are non-motile. They produce spores. E.g. Plasmodium, the causative
organism of malaria, Toxoplasma, etc.

Slime Moulds
Slime moulds are also protists. They are saprophytes. They often form aggregates called
plasmodium. They form spores that are extremely resistant to adverse conditions. Slime Moulds
move along dead and decaying branches and leaves, and absorb organic compounds.

Fungi
Fungi are separated into a different kingdom. They are heterotrophic and have a rigid cell wall.
They are parasites or saprotrophs. Fungi are microscopic, as well as quite big in size. They are
cosmopolitan and grow in warm, humid places. A unicellular fungi – yeast, is used for the
industrial production of bread and alcoholic beverages. Penicillium is used for the production of
antibiotics. Some fungi cause diseases in plants and animals, e.g. wheat rust (Puccinia), Candida
albicans causing fungal infection in humans.

Fungi are classified into four main classes based on their morphology and method of spore
formation. They are:

 Phycomycetes – They are characterised by the presence of coenocytic mycelium. Spores

are produced endogenously in the sporangium, e.g. Rhizopus, Mucor, etc.
  Ascomycetes – They are commonly known as sac-fungi. The mycelium is branched and
septate. The asexual spores are produced exogenously on conidiophores and sexual
spores are produced endogenously within asci. E.g. Penicillium, Saccharomyces (yeast),
Aspergillus, Claviceps and Neurospora, etc.
 Basidiomycetes – Asexual spores are not formed. The basidiospores are exogenously
produced. E.g. Puccinia (rust), mushrooms, Ustilago (smut), etc.
 Deuteromycetes – Commonly called imperfect fungi due to absence of sexual stage in
the life cycle. Most fungi are decomposers and help in nutrient recycling. E.g.
Colletotrichum, Alternaria and Trichoderma.

Algae
Unicellular photosynthetic organisms like diatoms, golden algae and dinoflagellates are placed
under the kingdom Protista. They are microscopic and are plankton. They are photosynthetic and
chief producers in the sea.

 Diatoms – They have a silicious cell wall which fits like a soap box. They are
photosynthetic and ‘diatomaceous earth’ is used for polishing, filtration of oil, etc.
 Dinoflagellates – They are marine, and photosynthetic and appear in different colours.
They have two unequal flagella, one longitudinal and one transverse. The cell wall has
stiff cellulose plates. They are known to cause red tides due to rapid multiplication, e.g.
Gonyaulax (a red dinoflagellate).

Algae are placed in the kingdom Plantae. Algae vary in size and shape. They are unicellular or
multicellular. Some green algae are microscopic in size, and many form colonies. Algae are
classified based on the presence of pigment present in them:

 Chlorophyceae – Green algae. They have chlorophyll a and b pigments. Some green
algae are microscopic. E.g. Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Ulothrix, Spirogyra.
Chlamydomonas is a unicellular green alga. Volvox forms coenobium or a colony of
thousands of cells.
 Phaeophyceae – Brown algae. They have chlorophyll a and c, and fucoxanthin
pigments.
 Rhodophyceae – Red algae. They have chlorophyll a and d, and phycoerythrin
pigments.
Shapes of Bacteria
Bacteria is a prokaryotic, unicellular organism. Bacteria are found everywhere, they are the most
abundant living organisms. They can thrive in extreme conditions like hot springs, snow, deep
ocean, where it is difficult for other organisms to live.

SALIENT FEATURES OF BACTERIA ARE THE FOLLOWING:

 Unicellular prokaryotic cell
 Present in different shape, size and arrangement
 The cell lack nucleus and membrane-bound cell organelles
 Bacterial DNA is found in the cytoplasm and not packaged to form chromatin as in
eukaryotic cell
  Bacteria cell is 10 times smaller than the human cell
 The diameter of a bacteria cell is ~1µm (10-6 m)
 The outer covering of a bacteria cell is the cell wall, which is rigid and provides structural
integrity
 The bacteria cell wall is made up of peptidoglycan or murein
 Different shapes of bacteria cell are the characteristic feature of a bacteria species
 Bacteria cells may contain external appendages like cilia, flagella, etc.
 Bacteria can be photoautotrophs, chemoautotrophs or parasites

Morphology of a Bacteria Cell

Morphology or shape of a bacteria cell is the most distinguished property of a bacteria. It is the
characteristic property of a particular species.

Morphology of bacteria cell not only tells the shape but also decides its pathogenicity.
Morphological traits of a bacteria cell are an important factor in its adaptability and evolution.
There are many features like motility, mode of nutrition, that are affected by the shape of
bacteria.

The bacterial cell wall is made up of peptidoglycan (murein), which is a polymer of sugars,
alternating N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) linked to N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and amino
acids peptide chain. Change in the configuration of the polymer and its thickness is responsible
for the varied morphology and shape of a bacteria cell.

Size of Bacteria
The size of bacteria can be averaged to 2 micrometres with a diameter of 0.5 micrometres.
Bacteria are known to display a wide variety of size and shapes. They are about one-tenth the
size of a eukaryotic cell.

Different shapes of bacteria

Different shapes of bacteria are used to categorise bacteria. Different shapes of a bacterial cell
are:

1. Spherical- Cocci
2. Rod-shaped- Bacilli
3. Spiral bacteria
4. Comma shaped- Vibrio

1. Spherical- Cocci:

Cocci can be single or multiple in a group of 2, 4, 8, etc. Cocci bacteria can be round, oval or
elongated or bean-shaped.
  The cell wall of coccus shaped bacteria may be gram-positive with thick peptidoglycan
layer, or gram-negative with the thin peptidoglycan cell wall
 The cells do not separate after cell division. The plane of cell division changes the shape
of the bacteria

According to the arrangement of cells, cocci bacteriaare subdivided into various subtypes:

a. Monococcus: bacteria exist as a single spherical cell

b. Diplococcus: Cells are arranged in pairs after cell division.Examples of diplococcus
bacteria are:Gram-negative bacteria- Neisseria spp, Moraxella catarrhalisGram-positive
bacteria- Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus spp, etc.
c. Streptococcus: the cocci are joined in a plane and arranged in a chain pattern. These are
non-motile, aerobic and gram-positive bacteria that cause many diseases.Examples of
streptococci are Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus bovis,
Streptococcus agalactiae, etc.
d. Tetrads: Tetrads are arranged in a group of 4 cells. The cell division occurs in two
different planes.Examples of tetrads cocci bacteria are Micrococcus spp, Pediococcus,
etc.
e. Staphylococcus: Cells are arranged in an irregular cluster, which looks like grapes. This
is due to the division in three planes.Examples of staphylococcus are staphylococcus
aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, etc.
f. Sarcinae: Sarcinae bacteria are anaerobic gram-positive bacteria. They occur as a group
of 8 cells. It is found in the family Clostridiaceae. It is found in the large intestine and
skin.Examples of sarcinae are: Clostridium maximum, Sarcina auranatica, Sarcina
ventriculi, Clostridium maximum, Microcioccus luteus, etc.

2. Rod-shaped- Bacilli:

These are rod shaped bacteria. They also occur singly or as multiple cells attached after the cell
division.
  Bacilliform bacteria are found in many different taxonomic groups of bacteria
 Bacilliform bacteria can be gram-positive, e.g. Actinomyces, Clostridium, Bacillus or
gram-negative bacteria, e.g. Escherichia, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Streptobacillus, etc.
 Bacteria of genus Bacillus are gram-positive, rod shaped bacteria
o They are obligate aerobe or facultative anaerobic bacteria
o They can form endospores and live for years as dormant and resistant to heat,
radiation and disinfectants
o They can survive extreme heat and temp as high as 420 ℃
o They are the most abundant bacteria and found everywhere
o Mostly non-parasitic, free-living species
o Two parasitic and pathogenic bacillus species are Bacillus anthracis causing
anthrax and Bacillus cereus, which causes food poisoning

Based on the arrangement of rod shaped cells, bacilli are classified into various types:

a. Bacillus: Single unattached cell, that looks like a rod.Examples are Bacillus cereus,
Salmonella enterica, etc.
b. Diplobacilli: Two rods are attached to each other and found in pairs after cell
division.Examples are Moraxella bovis, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis, etc.
c. Streptobacilli: Due to cell division in one plane, bacilli are arranged in a chain. Genus
Streptobacillus contains gram-negative, aerobic or facultative anaerobic
bacteria.Examples are Streptobacillus moniliformis, Streptobacillus felis, etc.
d. Coccobacilli: These are short compared to other bacilli and oval in shape, they appear
like a coccus.Examples are Chlamydia trachomatis, Haemophilus influenzae,
Gardnerella vaginalis, etc.
e. Palisades: The bacilli after cell division bend and therefore arranged in a palisade, fence-
like structure. Example: Corynebacterium diptheria

3. Spiral bacteria:

These bacteria are spiral or helical in shape.

Based on the thickness, flexibility and motility of the cell, they are further divided into two
types:

a. Spirillum: These are gram-negative, rigid bacteria having external flagella.Examples are
Spirillum, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori, etc.
b. Spirochete: These bacteria are spiral, thin and flexible. They have internal periplasmic
flagella. These are pathogenic species that cause various serious diseases.Examples are
Leptospira, Treponema pallidum, etc.

4. Comma shaped- Vibrio:

These are curved and appear like a comma.

 These are mostly gram-negative bacteria

 They are known to cause various foodborne diseases
 Vibrio sp are facultative anaerobes and have 2 chromosomes which replicate
independently

Examples are Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, etc.

Other than the main 4 shapes, the bacterial cell possess various different morphology namely

 Filamentous: have a long filamentous structure. Example: Candidatus savagella

 Star-shaped: resemble a star. Example: Stella humosa, Stella vacuolata
 Rectangular: these are box or rectangular shaped. Example: halophilic bacteria such as
Haloarcula vallismortis
 Pleomorphic: these have ability to change their shape and size due to various external
factors like pressure, environmental stress, etc. Example: Mycoplasma pneumonia,
Mycoplasma genitalium
  Appendaged: they are also known as budding bacteria. They can be non-motile or motile
with flagella. Example: Hypomicrobium, Rhodomicrobium
 Trichome: trichomes are a chain of vegetative cell. This is often covered with slimy
sheath as in cyanobacteria. Example: Thiothrix nivea
 Lobed: these have a lobed structure and mostly found in hot and volcanic springs. They
are flagellated and have an irregular shape. They are acidophiles and thermophiles.
Example: Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Sulfolobus solfataricus
 Fusiform: these are spindle-shaped, bulged in the middle and the end is tapered.
Example: Fusobacterium necrophorum
 Stalked: a stalk develops at one end of bacteria due to asymmetrical cell division.
Example: Caulobacter crescentus
 Sheathed: bacteria cell is covered with sheath. They are found in water. Example:
Leptothrix, Clonothrix

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1

What type of shape is Bacillus?

Bacilli are rod shaped, gram positive bacteria.

Q2

Why are bacteria rod-shaped?

The rod shape of bacillus bacterium gives an inherent symmetry to them and they can store or
concentrate proteins at specific locations easily.

Q3

What does coccus shape look like?

Cocci are spherical shaped bacteria that look flattened when put aside each other.

Q4

What does cocci bacteria cause?

The cocci bacteria are the leading cause of diseases in humans such as food poisoning,
pneumonia and skin infections.