Bacterial Morphology and Structure

Bacterial Morphology Arrangement

1. Bacilli
a.Streptobacilli
b. Bacilli

2. Cocci
a. Cocci
b. Doplococci
c. Streptococci
d. Staphylococci
e. Sarcina ( 3D )
f. Gaffkya ( 2D )
Common Shapes & Arrangement
Bacterial morphologies (1)
Bacterial morphologies (2)
Bacterial morphologies (3)
Bacterial Morphology Arrangement

3 Spiral

a. Vibrio

b. Spirillum

c. Spirochete
Bacterial morphologies (4)
Bacterial Cell Structures &
Functions
Size relationships among prokaryotes
Bacterial Cell Structure

• Appendages - flagella, pili or fimbriae

• Surface layers - capsule, cell wall, cell membrane
• Cytoplasm - nuclear material, ribosome, mesosome, inclusions etc.
• Special structure - endospore
Bacterial Cell Structure
Appendages
1. flagella
Some rods and spiral form have this.
a). function: motility
b). origin : cell membrane flagella attach to the cell by
hook and basal body which consists of set(s) of rings and
rods
Gram - : 2 sets of ring and rods, L, P, S, M rings and
rods
e.g. E. coli
Gram + : S, M rings and rods
e.g. B. megaterium
Organ of bacterial locomotion
Structure of the flagellum
Flagella movement(1)
Flagella movement(2)
Flagella movement(3)
b).Origin (continued)
–The structure of the bacterial flagella allows it to spin
like a propeller and thereby propel the bacterial cell;
clockwise or counter clockwise ( Eucaryotic , wave
like motion.
–Bacterial flagella provides the bacterium with
mechanism for swimming toward or away from
chemical stimuli, a behavior is knows as
CHEMOTAXIX, chemosenors in the cell envelope
can detect certain chemicals and signal the flagella to
respond.
c). position

monotrichous

lophotrichous

peritrichous

d). structure

protein in nature: subunit flagellin

2. Pili or Fimbriae
Shorter than flagella and straighter , smaller.
Only on some gram- bacteria.
a). function: adhere. One of the invasive
mechanism on bacteria. Some pathogens
cause diseases due to this. If mutant
(fimbriae) not virulent. Prevent
phagocytosis.
pili - sex factor. If they make pili, they are + or
donors of F factor.

It is necessary for bacterial conjugation

resulting in the transfer of DNA from one cell to
another.

It have been implicated in the ability of

bacteria to recognize specific receptor sites on
the host cell membrane. In addition, number of
bacteria virus infect only those bacteria have F
pilus.
b). Origin: Cell membrane

c). Position: common pili , numerous over the cell, usually called
fimbriae sex pile, 1-4/cell

d). Structure: composed of proteins which can be dissociated into

smaller unit

Pilin . It belongs to a class of protein Lectin which bond to cell surface

polysaccharide.
II. CELL SURFACE LAYER
1. Capsule or slime layer
Many bacteria are able to secrete material that adheres to the
bacterial cell but is actually external to the cell.
It consists of polypeptide and polysaccharide on bacilli. Most of
them have only polysaccharide. It is a protective layer that resists
host phagocytosis. Medically important.
2. Bacterial Cell Wall
General structure: mucopolysaccharide
i.e. peptidoglycan. It is made by N-
acetylglucosamine and N-acetylmuramic acid.
tetrapeptide ( L-alanine- isoglutamine-lysine-
alanine) is attached. The entire cell wall
structure is cross linked by covalent bonds.
This provide the rigidity necessary to maintain
the integrity of the cell.
N-acetylmuramic acid is unique to
prokaryotic cell.
Cell walls of bacteria(2)
Cell walls of bacteria(3)
Cell walls of bacteria(4)
Cell walls of bacteria(1)
Structure of peptidoglycan(1)
Structure of peptidoglycan(2)
(a). Gram positive bacterial cell wall
Thick peptidoglycan layer
pentaglycin cross linkage.
Teichoic acid: ribitol TA &
glycerol TA
Some have peptioglycan teichoic
acid.
All have lipoteichoic acid.
Function of TA:

* Antigenic determinant

* Participate in the supply of Mg to

the cell by binding Mg++

* regulate normal cell division.

For most part, protein is not found as

a constituent of the G+ cell wall except
M protein on group streptococci
Structure of the Gram-positive Cell Wall
(b) Gram -

Thin peptidoglycan

Tetrapeptide cross linkage

A second membrane structure: protein and

lipopolysaccharide.

Toxicity : endotoxin on lipid A of lipopolysaccharide.

glucosamine- glucosamine-long

polysaccharide- repeated sequences of a few sugars

(e.g. gal- mann-rham) n=10-20 O antigen
Structure of peptidoglycan(3)
Toxicity : endotoxin on lipid A of
lipopolysaccharide.

glucosamine- glucosamine-long

FA FA FA FA

polysaccharide- repeated sequences of

a few sugars (e.g. gal- mann-rham)
n=10-20 O antigen
Chemistry of LPS
The Gram-negative outer membrane(1)
The Gram-negative outer membrane(2)
2. Cell Membrane
Function:
a. control permeability
b. transport e’s and protons for cellular metabolism
c. contain enzymes to synthesis and transport
cell wall substance and for metabolism
d. secret hydrolytic enzymes
e. regulate cell division.
• Fluid mosaic model. phospholipid bilayer and
protein (structure and enzymatic function). Similar
to eukaryotic cell membrane but some differs. e.g.
sterols such as cholesterol in Euk not in Prok.
The cytoplasmic membrane
 Functions of
the cytoplasmic membrane(1)
 Functions of
the cytoplasmic membrane(2)
Transport proteins
Classes of membrane transporting systems(1)
Classes of membrane transporting systems(2)
Classes of membrane transporting systems(3)
III. Cytoplasm
80% water, nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipid
and inorganic ions etc.
1. Bacterial chromosomes
a single large circular double stranded DNA no histone
proteins. The only proteins associated with the
bacterial chromosomes are the ones for DNA
replication, transcription etc.

2. Ribosome
protein synthesis
The bacterial chromosome and supercoiling
3. Mesosomes

A large invaginations of the plasma membrane,

irregular in shape.

a. increase in membrane surface, which may be

useful as a site for enzyme activity in respiration
and transport.

b. may participate in cell replication by serving as a

place of attachment for the bacterial chromosome.
4. Inclusions
Not separate by a membrane but distinct.

Granules of various kinds:

* glycogen,

*polyhydroxybutyric acid droplets (PHB)

i.e. fat droplets

* inorganic metaphosphate (metachromatic granules) - in

general, starvation of cell for almost any nutrients leads
to the formation of this to serve as an intracellular phosphate
reservoir.
PHB
5. Chromatophores

Only in photosynthetic bacteria and blue green

algae. Prok. no chloroplast, pigment found in

lamellae located beneath the cell membrane.

IV. Special Structure

* Endospores
Spore former: sporobactobacilli and sporosarcinae - no
medical importance. bacillus and clostridium have
medical importance.

* Position: median, sub-terminal and terminal have

small water, high calcium content and dipicolinic acid
(calcium dipicolinate)
extremely resistant to heat, UV, chemicals etc. may be
due to many S containing A.A for disulfide groups.
 The process of endospore
formation

• After the active growth period approaching the stationary growth

phase, a structure called forespore develops within the cells.
• It consists of coat, cortex and nuclear structure.
Endospores
Negatively Stained Bacillus: (A) Vegetative Cell (B) Endospore
Dipicolinic acid
Vegetative/spore-containing cells(1)
Vegetative/spore-containing cells(2)
 Detailed steps
in endospore formation(1)
 Detailed steps
in endospore formation(2)
 Detailed steps
in endospore formation(3)
Review Questions;
1. Mention the functions of the following bacterial cell components; cell
wall, pili, cell membrane, cell inclusions, glycocarlyx
2. Give two examples each of bacteria that has polar and peritrichous
flagella
3. Define the following; (a) acid fast bacteria, (b) plasmid
4. Why is penicillin ineffective in the treatment of pneumonia caused by
Mycoplasma pneumoniae?
5. Highlight the significance of bacteria to mankind