Eubacteria

Are eubacteria prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

Prokaryotic

Characteristics of...

Prokaryotic

Unicellular

Cell walls are made of peptidoglycan

Preproduce asexually via binary fission

Reproduce sexually via conjunction

Autotrophic or Heterotrophic

Autotrophic

Organisms that make their own food

Heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain their nutrients or food from consuming other organisms.

Pathogenic

Causing or able to cause disease

Nonpathogenic

Harmless microorganisms that may perform useful functions and are safe to come in contact with since they do not cause disease or harm.

Nucleoid

A dense region of DNA in a prokaryotic cell and loose in cytoplasm.

Cell Wall

Only in some bacteria

Give rigidity

Added protection

Made of peptidoglycan

Capsule

Sometimes present

Added protection against the environment, antibodies, and WBCs

Pili

Protrusions on the cell wall that allow them to attach to surfaces and exchange DNA with other bacteria

Flagellum

A long, hairlike structure that grows out of a cell and enables the cell to move.

What is binary fission?

A form of asexual reproduction in which the parent divides into two approximately equal parts

What is conjugation?

A sexual reproduction, Horizontal gene transfer where bacteria exchange DNA through a pilus.

When might bacteria use conjugation?

To transfer plasmids that carry antibiotic resistance genes

When might bacteria use binary fission

When bacteria want to reproduce quickly and make identical copies of themselves because no changes are needed to survive