Kingdom Monera

Characteristics Single – celled Prokaryotic Small (1-10µm) 1µm=1/1000 mm Cell walls

4 Phyla – plural of phylum Eubacteria “true” bacteria Cyanobacteria Photosynthetic “blue-green” bacteria Archaebacteria Survive in harsh conditions Prochlorobacteria Use chlorophyll A & B

Bacteria can be identified by shape Coccus (plural = cocci)- Round Bacillus (plural = bacilli) – Rod-shaped Spirillus (plural = spirilli) – Spiral-shaped

Cells may remain together In two’s: diplococcus In chain’s: Streptococcus In cluster’s: Staphylococcus

Reproduction- Binary Fission

Bacteria reproduce at a very rapid rate, sometimes as quickly as every 20 minutes. At this rate, if there were unlimited food and space, one bacterium would multiply to a mass of bacteria weighing 4000 times the mass of the Earth in just 48 hours! Luckily, MOST bacteria are NOT harmful, and many are beneficial to us and to the environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEwzDydciWc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1V

Symbiotic Relationships E. coli is bacteria that lives in the intestines of mammals. It aids in digestion and production of some vitamins. “Normal Flora” is bacteria that lives on skin (in very high numbers). It provides a barrier to keep harmful bacteria from invading.

Important roles in the environment Nitrogen fixation turns N₂ gas from the atmosphere into useable nitrogen. * All organisms on Earth rely on these bacteria for the nitrogen to make proteins! Saprophytes break down organic materials to return nutrients to the soil.

Industrial uses for Bacteria Food Production- cheese and yogurt Antibiotics- recombinant DNA technology allows bacteria to produce insulin, antibiotics and other medical products. Bacteria can also clean up oil spills.

The Dark Side of Bacteria Spoiling is bacteria breaking down food, causing it to go “bad”. It can be slowed by refrigeration. Food Poisoning is when bacteria contaminates food by producing toxins. Ex. C. botulinum (botulism), salmonella, and staphylococcus.

Diseases Tuberculosis Pneumonia Syphilis Gonorrhea Tetanus Strep Throat

Prevention (before infection) Sanitation/Personal hygiene (wash hands, etc.) Antiseptics/Disinfectants are used on surfaces to kill bacteria (bleach, alcohol) Sterilization is the use of high heat. Autoclave is high heat and pressure, used to sterilize medical instruments. Vaccines can prevent some bacterial infections. Ex. Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough.

Treatment Once Infected Antibiotics are taken internally to interfere with the production of the bacteria cell wall. They will not work on viruses. Examples are penicillin, streptomycin, amoxicillin and tetracycline.

Drawbacks of Antibiotic Therapy Some people are allergic to them They kill off good bacteria Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics.