Monera (Bacteria)Monera (Bacteria)

extremely extremely important important – rapid growthrapid growth– ReproductionReproduction– mutation ratesmutation rates– exist under exist under

adverse adverse conditions. conditions.

Bacteria can be autotrophs or Bacteria can be autotrophs or heterotrophs.heterotrophs.

heterotrophs get heterotrophs get energy from breaking energy from breaking down complex organic down complex organic compoundscompounds in the in the environment. environment.

saprobessaprobes, , – feed on decaying feed on decaying

material and organic material and organic wasteswastes, ,

ParasitesParasites– absorbing nutrients absorbing nutrients

from living organisms.from living organisms.

bacteria can bebacteria can be– aerobicaerobic which which

means they require means they require oxygen to liveoxygen to live

or or

– anaerobic anaerobic which which means oxygen is means oxygen is deadly to them.deadly to them.

Green patches are green sulfur bacteria.  The rust patches are colonies of purple non sulfur bacteria.  The red patches are purple sulfur bacteria.

Bacteria are often Bacteria are often the causes of the causes of human and animal human and animal disease. disease.

However, certain However, certain bacteria produce bacteria produce antibiotics such as antibiotics such as streptomycin.streptomycin.

Other Bacteria live symbiotically in Other Bacteria live symbiotically in the guts of animals or elsewhere in the guts of animals or elsewhere in their bodies.their bodies.

For example, bacteria in your gut For example, bacteria in your gut produce vitamin K which is essential produce vitamin K which is essential to blood clot formation.to blood clot formation.

Bacteria live on the Bacteria live on the roots of certain roots of certain plants, converting plants, converting nitrogen into a nitrogen into a usable form.usable form.

Bacteria put the Bacteria put the tang in yogurt and tang in yogurt and the sour in the sour in sourdough bread.sourdough bread.

Saprobes help to Saprobes help to break down dead break down dead organic matter.organic matter.

Streptococcus thermophilus in yogurt

Bacteria are prokaryotic and unicellular.Bacteria are prokaryotic and unicellular.

Bacteria have cell walls.Bacteria have cell walls.

Bacteria have circular DNA called Bacteria have circular DNA called plasmidsplasmids

Bacteria can be anaerobes or aerobes.Bacteria can be anaerobes or aerobes.

Bacteria are heterotrophs or autotrophs.Bacteria are heterotrophs or autotrophs.

Bacteria are awesome!Bacteria are awesome!

Shapes of BacteriaShapes of Bacteria

Penicillin kills bacteria by making Penicillin kills bacteria by making holes in their cell holes in their cell wallswalls. .

Unfortunately, many bacteria have Unfortunately, many bacteria have developed resistance to this developed resistance to this antibiotic.antibiotic.

Penicillin, an antibiotic, comes from molds of the genus Penicillium Notice the area of inhibition around the Penicillium.