Bio lecture 2 Bacteria and Archaea

Prokaryotes

first life forms on earth that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. They include bacteria and archaea, which are unicellular organisms. They are extremophiles

Microbial Mats

multilayered sheets of

prokaryotes that include

primarily bacteria (but also

archaea)

extracellular matrix

Substance secreted by prokaryotes that holds them together

Hydrothermal vents

These are breakages or fissures

in the Earth’s surface that release

geothermally heated wate