Bacterial Kingdom

Characteristics:

• Prokaryotic
• Unicellular
• Have a cell wall made of peptidoglycan
• reproduce asexually through binary fission, and sexually through conjugation
• Autotrophic/heterotrophic

Pathogenic: Harmful

Non-Pathogenic: Not harmful

Bacteria have:

• Nucleoids: DNA region in the cytoplasm
• Cell walls: Give it protection and rigidity
• Capsule: protection from antibodies, environments WBC’s
• Ribosomes:
• Pili: Let them attach onto surfaces and exchange DNA
• Flagellum: propel them

Reproduction

Asexual (in ideal conditions):

• Through Binary Fission
• DNA replicates and once it reaches a certain size, it grows and chromosomes separate. A partition begins to grow and the cell splits in two. The resulting cells are smaller and identical.
• Different from mitosis in that bacteria don’t have a nucleus.

Sexual reproduction (in unfavorable conditions):

• Through conjugation: joining of two bacteria through pilus (pl. pili) in order to exchange chromosomes or part of chromosomes called plasmids (DNA loop).
• Produces a new cell with genetic combinations suited for their survival in the environment
• F+ cell with plasmid replicates the plasmid and transfers it to the F- cell (that has no plasmid).