MICROBIOLOGY 1

Structure of Bacteria

STRUCTURE OF BACTERIA 2. Eukaryotes (eu, or true nucleus) have a membrane

bound nucleus
PROKARYOTES & EUKARYOTES
 Only two types of cells are produced by all living i. Algae
ii. Fungi
organisms on earth.
iii. Protozoa
1. Prokaryotes (pro. or primitive nucleus) do not have
iv. Plants
a membrane bound nucleus
v. Animals
i. Eubacteria (true bacteria)
ii. Archaebacteria (ancient bacteria)

Feature Prokaryotic Cell Eukaryotic Cell

Size Size of cell is 1-2µm by 1-4µm or less. Greater than 5 µm in diameter.

Mostly unicellular (some cyanobacteria
Cell type Mostly multicellular
may be multicellular)
True nucleus is absent. Nucleus lack
Nuclear membrane and nucleolus are
Nucleus nuclear membrane and nucleolus. Such
present
nucleus is called nucleoid
Chromosome Usually single circular without histones. Multiple linear with histones
Genes Expressed in groups called operons Expressed individually
Zygote Merozygotic (partially diploid) Diploid.
Cell division Binary fission of budding Involves mitosis
Sexual reproduction No meiosis. Transfer of DNA only Involves meiosis
Permeability of nuclear membrane Absent. Selective
Cytoplasmic streaming Absent Present
Cytoskeleton Absent Present
Pinocytosis Absent Present
Gas vacuoles Can be present Absent
Present. Performs the function of Golgi
bodies and mitochondria and also help
Mesosome Absent
in the separation of chromosome during
cell division
Larger size 80s, found on membranes as
Smaller size 70S, distributed in the in endoplasmic reticulum; 70s present in
Ribosome
cytoplasm organelles such as chloroplast and
mitochondria
Mitochondria Absent Present
Chloroplast Absent Present
Endoplasmic Reticulum Absent Present
Golgi structure Absent Present
Membrane bound vacuoles Absent Present
Lysosomes and peroxisomes Absent Present
Microtubules Absent or rare Present
Simple structure composed of protein, Complex with 9+2 structure of tubulin
Flagella
flagellin and other protein
Generally, lack sterol and no Generally, lack sterol and no
Plasma membrane
carbohydrate carbohydrate

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 MICROBIOLOGY 2
Structure of Bacteria

Glycocalyx
Cell wall
Extrachromosomal plasmid
Transcription and translation
Respiration
Photosynthetic enzymes
Nitrogen fixation
Metabolic mechanism
Duration of cell cycle
DNA base ratio as mol% of
Guanine+ Cytosine (G+C %)
Present as a capsule or slime layer. Present in some cells that lack cell wall.
Usually present. Chemically complex
When present, chemically simple (includes
(typical bacterial cell wall includes
cellulose and chitin)
peptidoglycan)
Present. Nonessential prokaryotic genes are
Absent
encoded on extra chromosomal plasmid
Transcription occurs in nucleus and then
Occur simultaneously
translation occurs in cytoplasm
All aerobic, but some facultative anaerobes
Many strict anaerobes
by secondary modification
Bound to plasma membrane as composite Enzymes packed in plastids bound by
chromatophores membrane
Some possess this ability None possess this ability
Glycolysis, electron transport chain, Krebs
Wide variation
cycle
Short, takes 20-60 minutes to complete Long, takes 12-24 hours to complete
28-73 About 40

BACTERIAL CELL ARRANGEMENT

 The smallest cells Cocci
 Visible only with the aid of a microscope Arrangement Description Examples

Streptococcus
SIZE
Arranged in pneumoniae
 The unit of measurement used in bacteriology is the Diplococci
pairs Moraxella catarrhalis
micron (μ) or also called micrometre (μm)
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
 1 μm = One thousandth of a millimetre
Arranged in Streptococcus pyogenes
 1 millimicron (mμ) or nanometre (nm) = one Streptococci
chains Streptococcus agalactiae
thousandth of a micron or one millionth of
Arranged in Aerococcus
millimetre
Tetrads packets of Pediococcus
 1 angstrom unit (Å) = one tenth of a nanometre.
four cells Tetragenococcus
 1 millimetre = one thousandth of a metre
Arranged in a
 Generally, cocci are about 1 μ in diameter and Sarcina ventriculi
Sarcinae cuboidal
bacilli are 2 to 10 μ in length and 0.2 to 0.5μ in Sarcina ureae
manner
width
Arranged in
Staphylococci grape-like Staphylococcus aureus
SHAPE
clusters
 There are three basic bacterial shapes
Cocci (or coccus for a
Round cells Bacilli
single cell)
Bacilli (or bacillus for a Arrangement Description Examples
Rod-shaped
single cell) Most bacilli Single Rod: Bacillus
Curved bacteria which can appear as single cereus
Spirilla (or spirillum for a range from a gently curved rods Diplobacilli: Coxiella
single cell) shape to a corkscrew-like Diplobacilli
Diplobacilli burnetii, Moraxella
spiral appear in pairs bovis, Klebsiella
after division rhinoscleromatis
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 MICROBIOLOGY 3
Structure of Bacteria

Arranged in Streptobacillus Spiral Bacteria

Streptobacilli
chains moniliformis Arrangement Description Examples
Short and
Comma-shaped
stumpy that Haemophilus
bacteria with less
they appear influenzae
Coccobacilli Vibrio than one Vibrio cholerae
ovoid. They look Gardnerella vaginalis
complete turn or
like coccus and Chlamydia trachomatis
twist in the cell
bacillus
Campylobacter jejuni
Palisade
Have rigid spiral Helicobacter pylori
arrangement Spirilla
structure Spirillum
resembling a
Corynebacterium winogradskyi
Palisades picket fence and
diphtheriae Leptospira species
angular patterns
Spirochetes Helical shape Treponema pallidum
that look like
Borrelia recurrentis
Chinese letters

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 MICROBIOLOGY 4
Structure of Bacteria

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION Slime Layer Capsule

1. Water - 70%
An unorganized, loosely Highly organized, tightly
2. Dry weight - 30% composed of
adhered, thin glycocalyx bound, thick glycocalyx
i. DNA - 5%
Shown by electron Can be demonstrated by
ii. RNA - 12%
microscopy light microscopy
iii. Protein - 70%
iv. Polysaccharides - 5% Easily removable Hard to wash off
v. Lipids - 6%
Hydrophilic Hydrophilic
vi. Phospholipids - 4%
--- Presence denotes Virulence
COMPONENTS OF BACTERIAL CELL
Found in both gram positive
---
and gram-negative cells
A. Structures external to the Cell Wall
1. Glycocalyx Functions Functions
2. Flagella 1. Adhere to surfaces 1. Prevention of the
3. Pili or fimbriae 2. Resist antimicrobial bacterial cell from
agents desiccation and drying
B. Cell Wall 3. Form biofilms 2. protection from injury
4. Protect bacteria from and temperature
C. Structures internal to the cell wall wall degrading enzymes 3. Supporting the
1. Plasma membrane and bacteriophages attachment to surfaces
2. Cytoplasm 4. Resisting the
3. Nuclear area phagocytosis
4. Ribosomes 5. Prevention of
5. Inclusions bacteriophage
a. Metachromatic granules or Babes Ernst attachment
granules 6. Supplying of nutrients
b. Polysaccharide granules 7. Repulsion from other
c. Lipid inclusions bacterial species
d. Sulphur granules 8. Antigenic functioning
e. Carboxysomes largely as a partial
f. Gas vacuoles antigen or hapten
6. Endospores
7. Mesosomes Capsule Demonstration
A. Special Capsular Staining Methods
GLYCOCALYX  Has Two Methods
 A viscous gelatinous polymer that is external to the
Welch Method M’Faydean Capsule Stain
cell wall
 Composed of polysaccharide and polypeptide or  Uses copper as mordant  Uses polychrome

both  Involves treatment of methylene blue stain

 Produced inside the cell and excreted on the cell fixed smear with hot  Frequently used method

surface crystal violet solution for demonstration of

 Has two components followed by rinsing with capsule of B. anthracis

1. Slime Layer copper sulfate solution

2. Capsule  Copper sulfate solution is

used to remove excess
stain as conventional
water washing would
dissolve the capsule

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 MICROBIOLOGY 5
Structure of Bacteria

 Copper salt gives dark  It is composed of flagellin protein (globular protein)

blue color to the and known as H antigen.
background and the  Flagella has three parts
capsule appear paler blue 1. Basal Body
 Terminal portion of the flagellum
B. Negative Staining with India Ink  Anchors the flagellum to the cell wall and
 Simplest way to demonstrate capsule plasma membrane
 Done by mixing a suspension of bacteria with  Composed of a central rod inserted into a
an equal volume of Indian ink on a slide, series of rings
covering with a cover slip, and then examining  Gram Negative Bacteria - 2 pairs of rings
it under microscope i. Outer Pair - anchored to the outer
 Capsule appears as a clear zone around the cell membrane (L ring) and peptidoglycan
layer (P ring)
C. Hiss’s method ii. Inner Pair - anchored to the plasma
 Treat thin freshly prepared smear with hot membrane (SM ring)
crystal violet for one minute. Now wash with  Gram Positive Bacteria- only inner pair is
20 percent solution of copper sulfate and blot. present
The capsule is stained blue and the body of the  C ring: anchored in cytoplasm
bacteria stains deep purple
2. Hooked or curved area
D. Serological Methods (Quellung’s Reaction)  It is the wider region at the base of
 First described by Neufeld in 1902 filament
 Result from the interaction between capsular  Connects filament to the motor protein in
polysaccharide and its homologous antibody the base
 Antigen- antibody reaction between antiserum  Length of hook is longer in gram positive
and the capsule causes the capsule to appear to bacteria than gram negative bacteria
swell (probably due to a change in the refractive
index of the capsule that enhances its visibility) 3. Helical Filament
 After counter staining (methylene blue), the  Long outermost region; composes up to
bacterial cells stain dark blue and are 90% of its length
surrounded by a sharply demarcated halo  Contains the globular (roughly spherical)
which represents the outer edge of the capsule protein flagellin, arranged in several
 This method is useful for rapid identification of chains that intertwine and form a helix
capsular serotypes of S. pneumoniae, N. around a hollow core
meningitidis, H. influenzae, Yersinia, Bacillus,
etc Types

Type of Flagella Description Examples

FLAGELLA
Atrichous No flagella Shigella sps
 Flagellum is hair like helical structure emerges from
One polar flagellum Vibrio cholerae
cell wall and cell membrane
Monotrichous Campylobacter
 Organs of locomotion
spp
 The flagella are 3–20 µ in length and 0.01–0.03 µ in
Tuft of several polar Spirilla sps
diameter Lophotrichous
flagella
 Single flagella can be seen with light microscope
Flagella at both poles Alcaligenes
only after staining with special stain which increase Amphitrichous
faecalis
the diameter of flagella
Flagella over the Salmonella typhi

Structure Peritrichous entire cell surface Escherichia coli

 Flagella is not straight but is helical. Proteus sps

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Structure of Bacteria

 Consist of a protein called pilin arranged helically

around a central core
 Found almost exclusively on Gram-negative
bacteria
 The only Gram-positive organism which has these pili is
Corynebacterium renale

Structure
 Pili are shorter and straighter than flagella,
although the basic structure is same.
 Like flagella, it consists of helics of protein called
pilins, arranged around a hollow core but without a
motor
Motility  They are 0.5 µ long and 10 nm thick
Types of Bacterial Motility  They are antigenic in nature
 Active: Pseudomonas sps
 Darting: Vibrio cholerae Sex Pili
 Tumbling: Listeria monocytogenes  A specialized kind of pili called sex pili is
 Corkscrew, extension-flexion: Spirochetes responsible for the attachment of donor and
 Lashing: Borrelia recipient cells in bacterial conjugation
 Gliding: Mycoplasma  These pili are longer (10–20 µ) and vary 1–4 in
 Swarming; Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Clostridium number
tetani, Bacillus cereus  Are of two types
 Non-motile bacteria: Most cocci, Shigella, Klebsiella 1. F pili: They specifically adsorb male specific
RNA and DNA bacteriophages. They are
Demonstration of Motility encoded by sex factor F and fertility inhibition–
1. Direct or Microscopic positive resistance factors (fi + R factors).
 Hanging drop preparation or Wet Mount 2. I pili: They adsorb male specific filamentous
preparation DNA phages, encoded by col factor and fi - R
 Distinguishes, factor.
i. Brownian movement - when the bacteria
show molecular movement with no Functions
apparent effort to change their position 1. Sites of adsorption for RNA and DNA viruses
and direction to the field 2. Act as a means of genetic transfer between similar
ii. True motility - if a bacterium describes a or related Gram negative enteric species
rotatory, undulatory or sinuous movement 3. Provide the channel through which DNA from the
donor (male) cell is transferred to the recipient
2. Indirect or Macroscopic (female cell)
 Stab inoculation of the semisolid media
i. Non-motile - growth is limited at the point CELL WALL
of inoculation  The portion of the cell envelope that is external to
ii. Motile - growth is diffuse or moves away the cytoplasmic membrane and internal to the
from the line of inoculation; turbidity of capsule or glycocalyx
the medium  Cell wall does not take up any stain and hence are
not seen by light microscope
FIMBRIAE/PILI  Bacterial cells can be classified into Gram-positive
 Hair like appendages that are shorter, straighter or Gram-negative based on the structural
and thinner than flagella differences between cell walls
 Used for attachment rather than for motility

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 MICROBIOLOGY 7
Structure of Bacteria

Composition Lipoprotein layer

 Most bacteria have a complex cell wall consisting of  Composed of Braun’s lipoprotein - a small
Peptidoglycan (also called murein, mucopeptide) lipoprotein that is covalently joined to the
 This complex polymer consists of three parts underlying peptidoglycan and embedded in
1. A backbone consisting of alternating units of the outer membrane by its hydrophobic end
NAG (N-acetyl glucosamine) and NAM (N-acetyl  Stabilizes the outer membrane of the cell wall
muramic acid)
2. Tetrapeptide side chain consisting of D- and L- Outer membrane
amino acids (D-glutamic acid and L-alanine)  A bilayered structure
with mesodiaminopimelic acid (Gram-negative  Inner part resembles in composition with that
bacteria) or L-lysine (Gram-positive bacteria) of the cell membrane, while its outer part
3. Peptide cross-bridges, which are short chains of contains a distinctive component called
amino acids that crosslink the backbone lipopolysaccharide
 The outer membrane has a variety of proteins -
Gram-Positive Cell Wall o Porins
 Thicker (15–80 nm) and more homogenous than - Special channels of protein molecules
that of the thin (2 nm) Gram-negative cell wall. called porins
 Contains large amount of peptidoglycan that - Permit the passive diffusion of low-
constitutes about 40–80% of dry weight of the cell molecular weight hydrophilic
wall compounds, such as sugars, amino
 Consists primarily of teichoic and teichuronic acids. acids, and certain ions
Contain important bacterial surface antigenic - Exclude hydrophobic molecules
determinants - Serve to protect the cell
o Outer Membrane Proteins (OMPs)
Teichoic acids - Omp C, D, F, and PhoE & LamB are
 Are polymers of polyribitol phosphate or responsible for most of the
polyglycerol phosphate containing ribitol and transmembrane diffusion of maltose
glycerol and maltodextrins
 These polymers may have sugar or amino acid - Tsx, the receptor for T6 bacteriophage,
substitutes, either as side chain or within the is responsible for the transmembrane
chain of polymer Teichoic acids are of two diffusion of nucleosides and some
types—wall teichoic acid (WTA) and amino acids
lipoteichoic acids (LTA). Lipoteichoic acid - Omp A protein anchors the outer
helps anchor the wall to the membrane membrane to the peptidoglycan layer.
It is also the sex pilus receptor in F-
Teichuronic acid mediated bacterial conjugation.
 Consists of repeat units of sugar acids (such as
N-acetylmannuronic or D-glucuronic acid) Lipopolysaccharides
 They are synthesized in place of teichoic acids  Are complex molecules consist of three main
when phosphate supply to the cell is limited components - Lipid A, Core oligosaccharide, O
polysaccharide or O-antigen
Gram-Negative Cell Wall
 Much more complex than the Gram-positive cell
wall
 Peptidoglycan content is less than the Gram-
positive cell wall
 Gram-negative cell wall outside the peptidoglycan
layer contains three main components

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Structure of Bacteria

Differences between cell walls of Gram-positive and contains large amounts of waxes known as mycolic
Gram-negative organisms acids
 Composed of peptidoglycan and an outer
asymmetric lipid bilayer
 Inner lipid bilayer contains mycolic acids linked to
an arabinoglycan protein and the outer layer
contains other extractable lipids. This hydrophobic
structure renders these bacteria resistant to many
harsh chemicals including detergents and strong
acids
 During staining, if dye is introduced into these cells
by brief heating or treatment with detergents, they
resist decolorization by sulfuric acid or acid alcohol,
Functions and are therefore called acid-fast organisms.
1. Maintains cell shape
2. Protects from osmotic lysis L Forms
3. Acts as a barrier, protects cell contents from  Also called as L phase variants
external environment  These were first detected in the Lister Institute,
4. Determines reactivity to Gram stain, cells become London. The
gram negative if they lose cell wall  designation ‘L’ has been after the name of the
5. Attachment site for flagella Institute
6. Site of action of certain antimicrobial agents (E.g.  The L forms are the variants of bacteria which can
Penicillins, Cephalosporins) replicate as pleomorphic, filterable elements with
7. Bacteria may attach to surface, produce slime, defective or absent cell walls
divide and produce microcolonies within the slime  These can develop in synthetic media in the
layer and construct a biofilm. E.g. formation of presence of agents such as penicillin or with
dental plaque mediated by the bacterium hypertonic osmolarity
Streptococcus mutans.
8. Confer specific antigenicity to a strain/species that PLASMA MEMBRANE / CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE /
can be exploited to detect and identify an isolate CELL MEMBRANE / INNER MEMBRANE
 A thin structure lying inside the cell wall and
Substances acting against cell wall enclosing the cytoplasm of the cell
 Lysozyme, an enzyme found in tears and saliva  Consists primarily of phospholipids (which are the
 It acts by splitting cell wall mucopeptide linkages most abundant in the membrane) and proteins
 When lysozyme acts on Gram positive organism in
hypertonic solution a Protoplast is formed consisting Phospholipid molecule
of cytoplasmic membrane and contents  Polar head - composed of a phosphate group
 With Gram negative bacteria the result is and glycerol that is hydrophilic (water loving)
Spheroplast which differs from protoplast in that and soluble in water
some cell wall material is retained  Non-polar tail - composed of fatty acids that are
hydrophobic (water fearing) and are insoluble
Demonstration of cell wall in water; lies in the interior of the bilayer
 Can be demonstrated by differential staining
procedure, electron microscopy, plasmolysis, Protein molecule
microdissection, mechanical rupture of the cell and Peripheral proteins
serological test by exposure to specific antibodies  Easily removed from the membrane by mild
treatment
Cell wall of acid-fast bacilli  Lie at the inner or outer surface of the membrane
 Cell wall of acid-fast bacilli, i.e., M. tuberculosis,  Functions

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Structure of Bacteria

1. Act as enzymes that catalyse chemical reactions Composition

2. Act as a scaffold for support 1. Water - 80%
3. Act as mediators of changes in membrane 2. Proteins (enzymes)
shape during movement 3. Carbohydrates
4. Lipids
Integral proteins 5. Inorganic ions
 Can be removed from the membrane only after 6. Low molecular weight compounds
disrupting the bilayer
 Penetrate the membrane completely Nucleus
 Contain channels through which substances enter  In bacteria, the nucleus generally is called a
and exit the cell nucleoid or nuclear body
 Functions
1. Holds the intracellular contents within the Bacterial chromosomes
cytoplasm and prevents their leakage  Single long, circular molecules of double stranded
2. Concentrates nutrients by effecting their DNA
transport from the external environment of the  Carries all the information required for the cell
cell to the cytoplasm of the cell structures and functions
3. Provides the enzymes necessary for capsules,  Bacterial chromosomes do not include histones and
cell wall and cell membrane synthesis are not surrounded by a nuclear envelope
4. Serves as the site for enzymes involved in (membrane)
electron transport and energy metabolism  Attached to plasma membrane, the proteins of
which are responsible for the replication of DNA
Associated structures and segregation of the new chromosomes to
Chromatophores or thylakoids daughter cells in cell division
 Infoldings of the plasma membrane that extend into
the cytoplasm Plasmids
 Contains the pigments and enzymes involved in  Small, circular, double stranded DNA molecules
photosynthesis  Extra chromosomal genetic elements
 Replicate independently of chromosomal DNA
Mesosomes  Associated with plasma membranes
 One or more large, irregular folds in the plasma  Usually contain from five to 100 genes
membrane; believed to be artefacts  Maybe gained or lost without harming the cell
 Functions  May carry genes for such activities as antibiotic
1. Site for energy metabolism and respiration resistance, tolerance to toxic metals, production of
2. Site for attachment of DNA to membrane and toxins and synthesis of enzymes
are the site of growing septum formation  Can be transferred from one bacterium to another
3. Contain enzymes instrumental in the synthesis
of the cell wall, cell membrane and other Ribosomes
components external to the cytoplasmic  Sites for protein synthesis
membrane  Composed of two subunits, each subunit being
4. Site of exoenyzme synthesis and secretion for composed of protein and a type of RNA called
penicillinase ribosomal RNA (r RNA)
 Prokaryotic ribosomes are called 70s ribosomes
CYTOPLASM  MA: inhibition of protein synthesis on the
 The internal matrix of the cell contained inside the ribosomes. Ex. Streptomycin, Tetracyclines
plasma membrane
 Thick, aqueous, semi-transparent and elastic Inclusions
 Reserve deposits

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Structure of Bacteria

Metachromatic granules or Volutin or Babes Ernst granules ENDOSPORES

 Spherical granules that are not membrane bound  A refractile oval body formed within the bacterial
 Contains relatively large amounts of trichloroacetic cell found intracellularly and extracellularly in the
acid - insoluble polymetaphosphate or usual stained smear
polymerized phosphoric acid or polymerized
polymetaphosphate or volutin Spore forming Bacteria
 Generally formed by cells that grow in phosphate I. Gram positive bacilli
rich environments A. Obligatory Aerobic
 Found in algae, fungi and protozoans as well as 1. Bacillus anthracis
bacteria 2. Bacillus subtilis
 Stain red with certain blue dyes such as Methylene B. Obligatory Aanaerobic
blue 1. Clostridium tetani
 Characteristic of Corynebacterium diphtheria 2. Clostridium perfringens
3. Clostridium botulinum
Polysaccharide granules II. Gram positive coccus—Spore Sarcina
 Not usually enclosed by a membrane III. Gram negative bacillus—Coxiella burnetii
 Consist of glycogen and starch
 Glycogen granules - reddish brown with iodine Types
 Starch granules - blue with iodine 1. Spherical central
2. Oval central
Lipid inclusions 3. Oval subterminal not bulging
 Appear in various species of Mycobacterium, 4. Oval subterminal bulging
Bacillus, Azobacter, Spirillum 5. Terminal spherical bulging
 Polymer polybetahydroxybutyric acid - storage 6. Oval terminal bulging
material

Sulphur granules
 Sulphur bacteria – (Genus Thiobacillus) deposit
sulphur granules in the cell, where they serve as an
energy reserve

Carboxysomes
 Polyhedral and hexagonal inclusions
 Contain the enzyme ribulose 1,5 diphosphate
carboxylase
 Required by bacteria for carbon dioxide fixation
during photosynthesis
 Ex. Nitrifying bacteria, cyanobacteria, thiobacilli Structure
1. Core or spore protoplast
Gas vacuoles  Contains
 Hollow cavities found in many aquatic prokaryotes o Complete nucleus
 Consist of rows of several individual gas vesicles o All the components of the protein
which are hollow cylinders covered by protein synthesizing apparatus
 Maintain buoyancy so that the cells can remain at o Energy generating system on glycolysis -
the depth in the water appropriate for them to energy for germination - stored as 3
receive sufficient amounts of oxygen, light and phosphoglycerates
nutrients 2. Spore wall
 Innermost layer surrounding the inner spore
membrane

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Structure of Bacteria

 Contains the normal peptidoglycan PREVIOUS YEARS MCQS

 Becomes the cell wall of the germinating
1. Which of the following organisms are arranged in
vegetative cell cubical packets of eight Cocci
3. Cortex A. Staphylococcus
 Thickest layer of the spore envelope with many
B. Micrococcus
fewer cross links than are found in cell wall
C. Sarcina
peptidoglycan
D. Aerococcus
 Cortex peptidoglycan is extremely sensitive to
lysozyme 2. Teichoic acid is present in
 Contains dipicolinic acid, mucopeptide and A. Cell wall of Gram – positive organisms
calcium, all of which are significant in spore B. Cell wall of Gram – negative organisms
resistance C. Cytoplasm of gram – positive organisms
4. Coat D. Cytoplasm of Gram – negative organisms
 Composed of keratin like portion containing
many intra molecular disulfide bonds 3. Cell wall deficient bacteria are
5. Exosporium A. Escherichia coli
 Lipoprotein membrane containing some B. Staphylococci
carbohydrate C. Spirochetes
D. Mycoplasma
Germination of Spore
 It is the process of conversion of spore into a 4. Bacterial cell does not possess
vegetative cell under suitable condition A. DNA
 Phases are B. Ribosome
 Activation: requires agents like heat (60°C for 1 C. Mitochondria
hour), low pH, compound containing free D. Cell wall
sulfhydryl, abrasion, etc. These agents damage
the coat of the spore
 Initiation: Species of bacteria after getting
1. C Ananthnarayan, 8/E, Pg. 596
activated recognize effectors as signaling a rich
medium like L-alanine for one species and 2. A Ananthnarayan, 8/E, Pg. 17
adenosine for other species and so on. Binding
3. D Ananthnarayan, 8/E, Pg. 17, 18
of the effector substance to spore coat, activates
an autolysin which destroys peptidoglycan of 4. C Ananthnarayan, 8/E, Pg. 18
the cortex. After this water is taken up and
calcium dipicolonic acid is released. Thus, a
number of hydrolytic enzymes degrade the
spore constituent.
 Outgrowth: Spore coat breaks open and single
germ cell comes out and starts growing to new
vegetative cell

NEET – MDS PATTERN MCQS

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 MICROBIOLOGY 12
Structure of Bacteria

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