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W2 Bacterial Structure Theory

The document provides an overview of bacterial structure, detailing key components such as DNA, cell membrane, and cell wall, along with additional features like flagella and capsules. It explains the differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, emphasizing the role of peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharides in their cell walls. The document also covers transport mechanisms across the cell membrane, the function of pili and flagella, and the formation of spores by certain bacteria.

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2 views8 pages

W2 Bacterial Structure Theory

The document provides an overview of bacterial structure, detailing key components such as DNA, cell membrane, and cell wall, along with additional features like flagella and capsules. It explains the differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, emphasizing the role of peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharides in their cell walls. The document also covers transport mechanisms across the cell membrane, the function of pili and flagella, and the formation of spores by certain bacteria.

Uploaded by

rastyhamaamin7
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Bacteriology (Theory) W2

Structure of Bacteria

• All cells have 3 main components:


– DNA (‘nucleoid”)
• genetic instructions
– surrounding membrane (“cytoplasmic membrane”)
• limits access to the cell’s interior
– cytoplasm, between the DNA and the membrane
• where all metabolic reactions occur
• especially protein synthesis, which occurs on the ribosomes
• Bacteria also often have these extra features:
– cell wall
• resists osmotic pressure
– flagella
• movement
– pili
• attachment
– capsule
• protection and biofilms
_ Spores
Resist harsh condition for long time.
Cell Envelope

• The cell envelope is all the layers from the cell membrane to outward,
including the cell wall, the peri-plasmic space, the outer membrane, and
the capsule.

– All free-living bacteria have a cell wall


– Peri-plasmic space and outer membrane are found in Gram-
negative bacteria
– The capsule is only found in some strains of bacteria

Cell Membrane

• The cell membrane (often called the plasma membrane) is composed of


2 layers of phospholipids which surrounds cytoplasm.

• Structure: Phospholipids have polar heads and non-polar tails.


– “Polar” implies that the heads are hydrophilic: they like to stay in
an aqueous environment: they are facing the outside and the
inside of the cell.
– “non-polar” means that the tails are hydrophobic: they want to be
away from water, in an oily environment. The tails are in the
center of the membrane

• Function: A pure phospholipid membrane only allows water, gasses, and


a few small molecules to move freely through it.
Membrane Proteins

Proteins float in the membrane like ships on the surface of the sea: the fluid-
mosaic model.
The function of many of these proteins are transporting molecules in and out
of the cell and these transport proteins are very selective.

Types of membrane proteins:

Peripheral membrane proteins are bound to one surface of the membrane.


– Some attached to the cell membrane by a fatty acid covalently
attached to one of the protein’s amino acids
– Others are attached by stretches of hydrophobic amino acids of
the protein’s surface

Integral membrane proteins are embedded in the membrane by one or more


stretches of hydrophobic amino acids
Transport Across the Cell Membrane

• Basic rule: things spontaneously move from high concentration to low


concentration (downhill). This process is called diffusion.

– Passive transport: Getting many molecules into the cell is simply a


matter of opening up a protein channel of the proper size and
shape. The molecules then move into the cell by diffusing down
the concentration gradient.

• Active transport: To get things to move from low to high (uphill), you
need to add energy: the molecules must be pumped into the cell.
Pumps are driven by ATP energy.

Cell Wall

It Is a peptide-glycan layer which surrounds the cell and cell membrane and its
unique to bacteria.
The function of the cell wall is that it gives the shape to the cell and protect the
osmotic pressure of the cell.
• Bacteria, along with plants and fungi, resist osmotic pressure by
surrounding the cell in a rigid box, the cell wall.

– Cell wall is Composed of peptidoglycan (also called murein)


– Long chains of polysaccharide cross-linked by short peptides
(amino acid chains).

• Osmotic pressure is the force generated by water attempting to move


into the cell.
Differences of Cell Wall in gram positive and gram negative
bacteria

• Gram-positive vs Gram-negative are defined by the structure of


the cell wall because the Gram stain binds to peptidoglycan of
the cell wall.

• Gram-positive: is composed of many layers of peptidoglycan


(thick), which is anchored to the cell membrane by teichoic
acid.

• Gram-negative: is composed of 1-2 layers of peptidoglycan (


thin) and it has the following extra structues:

– The periplasmic space: is between the cell membrane and


the cell wall. It contains enzymes and other proteins,
such as chemoreceptors for sensing the environment.

– Outer membrane: Outside the peptidglycan layer is the


“outer membrane” which is pierced by porins.

Porins are protein channels, and its out surface is covered


with lipopolysaccharides (sugars linked to membrane
lipids), which are often antigenic and or toxic.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)

• What is Endotoxin or Pyrogen: it’s a lipopolysaccharide toxin secreted by


gram negative bacteria and causes sever illness.
– Fever causing
– Toxin nomenclature
• Endo- part of bacteria
• Exo- excreted into environment
Structure
– Lipid A
– Polysaccharide
• O Antigen of E. coli, Salmonella
• G- bacteria only
– Alcohol/Acetone removes

Functions
– Toxic; kills mice, pigs, humans
• G- septicemia; death due to LPS
– Pyrogen; causes fever
• During vaccination always causes fevers
• Heat Resistant; hard to remove

Capsule
Some bacteria (often pathogens) are surrounded by a thick
polysaccharide capsule. This is a mucus-like layer. It helps prevent
immune system cells from reaching the bacteria (protect the bacterial
cell from phagocytosis), and it forms part of biofilms.

Other Membrane Structures

A- Pili: (singular = pilus) are hair like structures projecting from the surface of
the bacteria. They are composed of pilin protein.

There are several types of Pilli:

– Sex Pili: DNA can be transferred between bacteria by conjugation,


which is initiated when sex pili on the donor cell attach to and
draw in the recipient cell.
– Fimbriae: (singular = fimbria) are pili used to attach the bacteria
to target cells ( in infection) or to surfaces, where they form a
biofilm.

B-Flagella: are long hair like structures used to propel the cells. They are
composed of flagellin protein. Its important for chemotaxis and it has sense of
temperature changes. They are exist as single, double or multi or scattered
flagella.

– At the base of each flagellum is a motor embedded in the


membrane and cell wall. It turns in a rotary motion.

• Arrangement basis for classification of flagella


– Monotrichous; 1 flagella
– Lophotrichous; tuft at one end
– Amphitrichous; both ends
– Peritrichous; all around bacteria

Chemotaxis

• The flagellar motor is reversible (flagella can move in different direction


to create movement of bacteria toward different directions):

Why these movement is important:

• chemotaxis: bacteria move toward the source of nutrients by swimming


up the chemical gradient. Or, away from a toxin.

– When moving up the gradient, bacteria rarely tumble, but when


moving across it, or in the opposite direction, tumbling is
frequent.
– This produces a net motion in the proper direction

Spores

• Some bacteria can form very tough spores, which are metabolically
inactive and can survive a long time under very harsh conditions.

– Allegedly, some bacterial spores that were embedded in amber or


salt deposits for 25 million years have been revived.
• Spores can also survive very high or low temperatures and high UV
radiation for extended periods. This makes them difficult to kill during
sterilization.
• Spores are produced only by a few genera of bacteria:

– Bacillus species including anthracis (anthrax)

– Clostridium species including tetani (tetanus).

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