2. Characteristics of prokaryotic cells. Prokaryotes include Monera (simple bacteria) They have a membrane and a cell wall. Very simple organization. Very small. Prokaryotic cells lack membrane enclosed "organelles", but may contain membrane systems. They may have photosynthetic pigments, such as in cyanobacteria ("blue bacteria"). Some have whip-like flagella for movement or hair like pili for adhesion. Come in multiple shapes: cocci (round), baccilli (rods), spirilla or spirochetes. Named Examples: Staphylococcus Escherichia coli (E. coli) Streptococcus

3. The Basic Structure Of A Prokaryote Roughly one micrometer in diameter. Do not have a nucleus to enclose genetic material. The genetic material consists of a large DNA molecule compacted in an area of cytoplasm called the nucleoid region. General Characteristics New prokaryotic cells nearly always have exact characteristics of the parent cell. Prokaryotes exhibit asexual behavior as opposed to sexual behavior, where a recombination of chromosomes occurs. Evolution of the prokaryotic cell has been fairly stagnant over its two billion year lifespan. Abundance Prokaryotic cells and fossils have have been found in almost every conceivable environment on the earth, from hot sulfur springs to beneath the ocean floor and within larger cells. Overall, Prokaryotes account for a significant portion of the past and present biomass (biological material) on earth.

4. The "true bacteria" are classified on the basis of several characteristics, of which perhaps the most familiar is the Gram Stain method. Gram negative Eubacteria About 75% of known eubacteria are gram negative. They include the gliding bacteria, the spirochetes, the curved (vibrios) and spiral (spirilla) bacteria, gram- negative rods, gram-negative cocci and the photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Gram negative bacteria form an extremely diverse group. Gram positive Eubacteria Not as diverse as the gram-negative bacteria, the gram-positives still make up an impressively varied group. This division includes the gram-positive rods, gram- positive cocci, and the actinomycetes, which exhibit superficial similarity and function (but no evolutionary relationship) to the (eukaryotic) fungi.

5. Prokaryotic Energy Handling Systems Photosynthesis: i.e. Blue-green algae produce own food Nitrogen Fixation: i.e. Nitrobacter converts nitrogen from in the air into nitrogen compounds that a plant can use. Fermentation: i.e. Yoghurt production, or beer production. The bacteria absorb organic substances and convert them into other substances and release them.

6. Electron scanning micrograph of bacteria at 40000x http://www.up.ac.za/academic/ electron/bacteria.htmwww.up.ac.za/academic/ electron/bacteria.htm This site has diagrams & matching electron pictures of all organelles for eukaryotic & prokaryotic – has good comparisons of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/104/104F02_3.html

7. TB bacteria