Bacteria

• Bacterial cell membranes regulate the movement of substances in and out of the cell and are made of a lipid bilayer.
• During the exponential phase of growth, bacteria reproduce rapidly through binary fission, leading to a rapid increase in population size.
• Gram-positive bacteria have a thick cell wall and are shown as purple, while gram-negative bacteria have thin cell walls and are shown as pink.
• Pili are short hairlike appendages involved in attachment and transfer of genetic material during conjugation to other prokaryotes.
• Bacteria is classified as a prokaryotic cell as they evolved before eukaryotic cells, are simpler and smaller, and lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
• Bacteria are classified by their shape: Spiral (Spirillum), Rod (Bacillus), and Spherical (Cocci).
• All bacteria have a cell wall, cell membrane, DNA, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.
• Most bacteria have endospores, plasmid, and capsules.
• The cell wall maintains the bacterial cell integrity and shape.
• The capsule is the outer covering of the bacteria made of protein that protects the cell from harsh environmental conditions and makes it harder for immune cells to capture.
• The cytoplasm is a solution of ribosomes (where protein synthesis occurs) and DNA.
• The flagellum is a long whip-like structure used for movement.
• Endospores are dormant structures made up of a thick covering to protect DNA in harsh conditions. They are found in only gram-positive bacteria.
• Bacterial chromosomes are circular and are made up of DNA and proteins.
• Plamids are small pieces of genetic material that can replicate separately between cells to diversify genes.
• Bacterial reproduction is called binary fission, where one bacterium splits into two identical bacteria, so there is no genetic variation.
• Bacteria grows best in warm, moist, food prevalent environments.
• Bacterial reproduction and growth is exponential.
• Bacterial population growth can be limited by lack of food, overcrowding, excess waste, or lack of oxygen.
• Conjugation is when bacteria cells stick together by pili and exchange plasmids which leads to genetic diversity.
• Bacterial Transformation is when a bacterium achieves genetic diversity by picking up foreign genetic material.
• Bacterial transduction is when a bacterial cell takes up a plasmid and transfers it to another cell by a viral vector.
• Heterotrophic bacteria must obtain food from the environment by consuming other organisms.
• Parasitic bacteria feed off a host by harming the host.
• Mutualistic bacteria feeds off the host but also help the host break down nutrients.
• Decomposing bacteria feed off dead organisms and break them down.
• Autotrophic bacteria are able to make their own food using energy from the sun.
• The rate of bacteria can be slowed by freezing and refridgerating.
• Bacteria can be killed using antibiotics, antiseptics, cooking, pasteurization, and antibacterial soaps.
• Antibiotics are chemical compunds that prevent or kill bacteria.
• Antibiotics target structures on bacterial cells that are not present in eukaryotic cells.
• Antibiotics should be avoided because of antibiotic resistance.
• Superbugs are bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics.
• Positive effects of bacteria include gut population, digestion, and absorbtion.
• Bioremediation is using bacteria to clean the environment.
• Genetic engineering is used to produce proteins for industrial use.
• Quorum sensing is the ability of bacteria to detect the presence of other bacteria and respond accordingly.