Bacteria and Protists

Objectives: 7Sb.3
Compare the body shapes of bacteria
Detect differences among the shapes Be able to classify bacteria as spiral, coccus, or bacillus

Compare the body structures that protists use for food gathering and locomotion
Detect similarities and differences among the structures of protists used for food obtainment and locomotion Identify protits as a euglena, amoeba, or paramecium based on structures for food gathering and locomotion.

Bacteria
Greatest number of organisms in the world Part of the monera kingdom. Live almost everywhere on Earth

Properties of Bacteria
Single-celled organisms- usually very small, seen using a microscope Simple organisms-lack organelles Biologist classify bacteria by their shape.
Looks rod, spiral or sphere Often form long chains or clusters that look like a bunch of grapes.

Properties of Bacteria

Sphere shape Rod shape

Spiral shape

Life Activities of Bacteria

Each bacterial cell carries out all of the basic life functions
Ex. Break down dead organisms, some use sunlight to make food

Many need oxygen to carry out respiration: aerobe but some are poisoned by oxygen.

Methane producing Bacteria

These bacteria live where oxygen is not present such as the bottom of swamps. Anerobe: can live without oxygen They produce methane- a gas produced by bacteria from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Methane bubbles out of the water as marsh gas.

Methane Bubbles

Binary Fission
Bacteria reproduces by a process called binary fission. Binary Fission is where the bacterial cell divides into 2 cells that look the same as the original cell. Can reproduce every 20 minutes.

Helpful Bacteria
Many are helpful in two ways. 1. Recycle nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. They breakdown dead organisms or waster.
Organisms that do this are called saprophytes. Some of the broken-down nutrients are returned to the soil and plants use them. Animals eat the plants to get the nutrients.

Helpful Bacteria
2. Help plants to get nitrogen.
Nitrogen is plentiful in the atmosphere but plants cannot absorb it from the air. The nitrogen must be changed to ammonia. Some bacteria lives inside the roots of plants and change the nitrogen to ammonia. In return the plants provide food for the bacteria.

Symbolic Relationships
Mutualism- A closeness in which two organisms live together and help each other.
Example- bacteria that turns nitrogen into ammonia and the plant provides food for the bacteria.

Commensalism- A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is not affected.
Ex. Barnacles on whales.

 Mutualism

Commensalism

Useful to humans
1. Bacteria help to produce some food.
Example- cheese, sour cream, yogurt, pickle

2. Bacteria can produce many different materials that are helpful.

Chemical companies use bacteria to make vitamins. And some bacteria make antibiotics to kill other kinds of bacteria.

Harmful Bacteria
Some cause food to spoil
Ex. Cause mild to spoil-

refrigerating food helps to prevent spoiling because bacteria grow slowly at low temps. Food that looks or tastes bad should be thrown away.

FYI
Doctors prescribe antibiotics such as penicillin to fight bacterial disease. Bacteria often develops ways to resist the antibiotic. Many household products contain antibacterial agents- dish soap
They also cause bacteria to become resistant. As more bacteria becomes resistant, scientists must search for new ways to kill the bacteria.

Harmful Bacteria
Some cause disease. Ex. Botulism, gonorrhea, strep throat Some harm the body by producing poisons called- toxins. A single gram of botulism can kill a million people. Botulism is food poisoning. The bacteria can be inside canned food. It produces toxins. Eating the contaminated food causes botulism. Do not eat out of Expired cans or cans that show bacterial growth like the one to the left

Notice can expanding as the Bacteria grows.