Kingdoms of bacteria

Subgroup Alpha Proteobacteria

many species are symbiotic with eukaryotic hosts (e.g. Rhizobium lives within root nodules of legume plants where they fix atmospheric nitrogen into forms the plant can use)

Subgroup Beta Proteobacteria

nutritionally diverse group, some are important nitrogen recyclers Neiserria gonorrhoeae (causes gonorrhea) goes here

Subgroup Gamma Proteobacteria

includes "sulfur" bacteria which oxidizes H,S, producing sulfur as a by-product; Legionella (causative agent of Legionnaire's disease, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae & Salmonella belong here

Subgroup Delta Proteobacteria

includes slime-producing Myxobacteria includes Bdellvibrios which attack other bacteria

Subgroup Epsilon Proteobacteria

most members are pathogenic to humans or other animals Camphylobacter, a causative agent of blood poisoning & intestinal inflammation goes here

Helicobacter pylori, a causative agent for stomach ulcers, goes here

KINGDOM CHLAMYDIA

survives only in animal cells; depends on host cell for resources such as ATP

has odd cell wall which stains gram negative; cell wall has no peptidoglycan

KINGDOM SPIROCHETES

uses flagella to spiral themselves through their environment

Treponema pallidum, the causative agent for syphilis, belongs here Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent for Lyme disease, goes here

KINGDOM CYANOBACTERIA

photosynthetic

uses photosystems | & lI

has chlorophyll A

chlorophyll is not in chloroplasts, but rather found in the thylakoid membranes, which are scattered

these organisms are often arranged in filaments

some have heterocysts, specialized cells which "fix" atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia

KINGDOM GRAM POSITIVE BACTERIA

the subgroup actinomycetes belongs here
two species of actinomycetes cause tuberculosis & leprosy, respectively actinomycetes are also responsible for the "earthy" odor of rich soil members of the genus, Streptomyces, have been the sources for several antibiotics

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent for anthrax, belongs here Clostridium botulinum, the causative agent for botulism, goes here Streptococcus and Staphylococcus sp. belong here

includes Mycoplasmas, the only bacteria known to lack a cell wall; they are also the tiniest known cells one species of Mycoplasma causes walking pneumonia