1. Bacteria
AKA: Monerans

2. Bacteria make up two of the six kingdoms currently recognized: archaebacteria and eubacteria. They come in 3 shapes: rod, sphere and spiral.

3. Archaebacteria “ancient bacteria”
Existed billions of years before dinosaurs, some of earth’s earliest life forms
Unicellular prokaryotes that can survive in extreme conditions (very hot or acidic)

4. Eubacteria
Do not live in extreme conditions, but also single-celled prokaryotes
Found EVERYWHERE, such as all over your skin and inside your mouth

5. Reproduction in bacteria
Reproduce quickly in favorable conditions
Asexual reproduction (one parent involved)
Binary fission-genetic material duplicates and cell divides to form two identical cells

7. Sexual reproduction (two parents combine genetic material)
Conjugation-one bacterium transfers genetic material to another bacterial cell through a long, threadlike bridge
Cells now have new combinations of genetic material
When they divide by binary fission, new genetic material is passed and offspring are genetically different from parent
See p. 196 in your book

8. Obtaining food… Many move using flagella (long, whiplike tail)
Bacteria may be autotrophs or heterotrophs
Autotrophs
Photosynthesis
Energy from chemicals around them
Heterotrophs
Consuming a variety of foods
Decomposing

9. Endospores Formed when conditions are not favorable for growth
Small, round, thick-walled resting cell that forms inside a bacterial cell
Contains genetic material and cytoplasm
Opens up when conditions are favorable

10. Bacteria in the Environment
Assist in production of natural gas
Used to make foods such as cheese, yogurt, soy sauce and pickles
“nature’s recyclers”
Environmental clean-up
Cause disease such as strep throat and food poisoning