Cell Structure and Function
• Morphology: cocci, rods, spirilla, pleomorphic.
• Prokaryotic structures:
– Plasma membrane
– Inclusion bodies
– Ribosomes
– Nucleoid and genome organization
– Endospores
– Cell wall
– Capsule
– Fimbriae
– Flagella and Chemotaxis
Bacterial Cell Shapes
Prokaryotic Cell Structure
Fig. 3.4
Plasma Membrane
Fig. 3.7
Lipid Structure
Fig. 3.5
Hopanoids: the bacterial
cholesterol
Fig. 3.6
Plasma Membrane
• Selectively permeable barrier
Fig. 3.7 • Site of enzymatic reactions
Cytoplasm: Packed with good
stuff
Fig. 3.10
Inclusion Bodies
Fig. 3.12
Fig. 12.12
Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic
+
Prokaryotes 30S 50S 30S 50S
70S Ribosome
+
Eukaryotes 40S 60S 40S 60S
80S Ribosome
Bacterial
Nucleoid
Fig. 3.14
Genome organization
Prokaryotic Eukaryotic
• Single, circular • Multiple, linear
chromosome chromosomes
• Extrachromosomal DNA= • Plasmids limited
Plasmids
• Haploid= 1 copy of each
gene • Diploid
• No introns • Contain introns
• Genes arranged in operons • One promoter for each
gene
Reg
ulat
ory
I
pro
tein
s
PI
Ma
jor
B
PBA
pilin
Ter pro
min tein
ator
A
H
/anc
hor
Anchor
pro
tein
H
Out
er m
emb
ran
e ch
ann
el
A
C
Rod
Per
ipla
smi
c tr
ans
por
ter
D
K
Cha
pero
nin
J
Init
E
iato
Tip
r/ad
apte
K
r
Min
or p
ilin
E
pro
tein
s
F G
Operon organization
Adh
esin
G
Tip-associated proteins
Endospores
Image from the Boston Globe
Well known spore formers:
Bacillus anthracis
Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium tetani
Endospores
• Highly resistant to
environmental
conditions
• Have no measurable
metabolism
• Germinate under
favorable conditions
Image from Microbiology by Harely, Prescott, and Klein. 4th ed.
Fig. 3.44
Model system:
Fig. 3.43 Bacillus subtilis
Cell Wall
• Gives shape to cell
• Prevent osmotic pressure from rupturing
cells
•Fig.
Anchorage
3.4 point for external structures
Peptidoglycan
Fig. 3.19
Peptide interbridges
Fig. 3.18
Gram+ vs. Gram-
Fig. 3.15
Gram+
Fig. 3.21
Teichoic Acid
• Only present in
Gram+ bacteria
• Give - charge to outer
surface of Gram+
• Unknown function
Fig. 3.22
Gram-
Fig. 3.23
Lipolysaccharide=
LPS or Endotoxin
• Found only in Gram-
bacteria
• Give- charge to outer
surface of bacteria
• May stabilize membrane
• Bacterium can vary
structure to evade immune
system
• Can cause shock
Fig. 3.25
Fimbriae
Capsule
Fig. 3.27
Bacterial Flagella
• Monotrichous
– Single, polar flagellum
• Amphitrichous
– Flagellum at each end
• Lophotricous
– 2 or more at either end
• Peritrichous
– Distributed over cell
Fig. 3.31
Fig. 3.33
Fig. 3.35
Bacterial Taxis
• Movement towards/away from
environmental stimulus
• Chemotaxis
• Phototaxis
• Magnetotaxis
Fig. 12.33
Other types of motility
• Axial filaments
• Gliding motility
How do prokaryotes differ from
eukaryotes?
Antibiotics and Selective
Toxicity
Target Example Antibiotics
Plasma membrane Polymixin
DNA replication Ciprofloxacin
Transcription Rifampin
Translation Tetracycline, Erythromycin
Cell wall Penicillin, Vancomycin,
Bacitracin