MicroPara Lesson 3

- Genes
- Cell o Located along chromosomes
o Fundamental unit of any living o Each genes contains the
organisms because it exhibits the information to produce one or
basic characteristics of life more gene products (usually
o Two categories: proteins).
▪ Eukaryotic - Genome/Genotype
• Algae o Complete collection of genes
• Protozoa
• Fungi - Although most genes code for proteins,
▪ Prokaryotic some code for two types of ribonucleic
• Bacteria acid:
• Archaea o Ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA)
• Cyanobacteria o Transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA)
o Microbes that are not composed of
cells: - Human diploid cell
▪ Viruses o Have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs)
▪ Prions - Human genomes consists of between
▪ Viroid 20,000 and 25,000.

Characteristics Prokaryotes Eukaryotes

Complex Other Eukaryotic Cell Structures
system of
membranes - Cytoplasm
Membrane o Semifluid, gelatinous, nutrient
bound matrix
organelles
o Contains storage granules and a
Cell
variety of organelles
membrane
True Nucleus ▪ Each has a specific
function
- Cell membranes o Where most metabolic reactions
o Have selective permeability occur
▪ Allowing only certain
substances to pass through - Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
them. o Highly convoluted system of
- True nucleus membranes arranged to form a
o Means consist of nucleoplasm, transport network in the
chromosomes, and a nuclear cytoplasm.
membrane. o Rough ER has ribosomes attached
to it
The Eukaryotic Nucleus ▪ Smooth ER does not

- Command center of the cell

- Ribosomes
- Has three components
o Consist of ribosomal RNA and
o Nucleoplasm
protein
o Chromosomes
o Site of photosynthesis
▪ Embedded in the
nucleoplasm.
- Golgi Complex
▪ Nuclear membrane
o Also called the Golgi apparatus or
o Eukaryotic chromosomes
Golgi body
▪ Consist of linear DNA
o Connects/communicates with ER
molecules and proteins.
 o Completes the transformation of o Chitin
newly synthesized proteins and ▪ Cell walls of Fungi
packages them for storage or o Cellulose
export ▪ Cell walls of algae and
▪ Packaging plants plants
▪ Would eventually become
- Lysosomes and Peroxisomes starch
o Originate in the Golgi complex ▪ It is a form of
o Lysosomes polysaccharide
▪ Contain lysosome and
Cell Walls
other digestive enzymes
Present Absent
o Peroxisomes Plants Animals
▪ Membrane-bound vesicles Algae Protozoa
where H202 is generated Fungi Mycoplasma spp.
and broken down. Most bacteria

- Mitochondria - Flagella and Cilia (contain

o ‘power plants’, ‘powerhouses’, or microtubules)
‘energy factories’ o Flagella
o ATP molecules are produced by ▪ are long, thin, whiplike
cellular respiration organelles or locomotion
▪ Need for active transport ▪ Possess some eukaryotic
o Number of mitochondria varies cells
depending on the activities of the
• Spermatozoa
cell
• Certain protozoa
▪ Flagellated Cells
- Plastids
• May possess one or
o Membrane -bound structures
more flagella
containing photosynthetic
o Cilia
pigments
▪ Shorter, thinner, and more
o Sites of photosynthesis
numerous than flagella
o Type of plastid:
▪ Described as being ‘hair-
▪ Chloroplast
like’
• Contains chlorophyll
▪ Found on some species of
o Humans doesn’t have plastids
protozoa (Balantidium coli)
and certain types of cells in
- Cytoskeleton
our bodies
o System of fibers throughout the
• Ciliated epithelial
cytoplasm
cells in the
o Three types:
respiratory tract
▪ Microtubules
▪ Microfilaments
▪ Intermediate filaments
Prokaryotic Cell Structure
o Microtubules and microfilaments
are essential for a variety of - 10 times smaller than eukaryotic cells
activities - Simple compared to eukaryotic cells
- Reproduce by
- Cell Wall o Binary Fission
o An external structure to provide - All bacteria are prokaryotes, as the
shape, protection, and rigidity archaea
o Simpler in structure than - The cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells is not
prokaryotic cell walls filled with internal membranes
- Cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells ▪ Main constituent of most
o Surrounded by a cell membrane, a bacterial cell walls
cell wall (usually), and sometimes
a capsule or slime layer o Gram positive
▪ Have a thick layer of
- Cell membrane peptidoglycan
o Similar in structure and function to ▪ Lipoteichoic Acid
the eukaryotic cell ▪ Teichoic Acid
o Selective permeable o Gram Negative
o Many enzymes are attached to the ▪ Thinner peptidoglycan
cell membrane where metabolic ▪ Have inner and outer
reactions take place membrane (peptidoglycan
in the middle)
- Chromosomes ▪ Lipopolysaccharide
o Usually consists of a single, long, • Site of endotoxin
supercoiled, circular DNA o Mycoplasma
molecule and serves as the ▪ Do not have a cell wall
control center of the cell ▪ Pleomorphic
o Plasmids
▪ Small, circular molecules - Glycocalyx (slime layers and capsules)
of DNA that are not part of o Slimy, gelatinous material
the chromosome ▪ Produced by th cell
(extrachromosomal) membrane
o Gyrase ▪ Secreted outside the cell
▪ Uncoils DNA and thus wall
results to cell explosion o Two types:
▪ Slime layer
- Cytoplasm • Loosely connected
o Semiliquid that consists of to the cell wall
▪ Water ▪ Capsule
▪ Enzymes • Highly organized and
▪ waste product firmly connected
▪ Nutrients • Function
▪ Proteins o Prevent
▪ Carbohydrates phagocytosis
• Materials required o Pseudomonas spp.
for metabolic ▪ Produce a slime layer
functions o Possess a capsule which serves as
an antiphagocytic function
- Cytoplasmic Particles ▪ Klebsiella Pneumoniae
o Most are ribosomes, some of ▪ Neisseria Meningitidis
which occur in clusters ▪ Streptococcus Pneumoniae
o Prokaryotic ribosomes are smaller
than eukaryotic ribosomes, but - Flagella
their function is the same o whip-like appendages composed
▪ They are the sites of protein of protein
synthesis ▪ called flagellin
o Number and arrangement of
- Bacterial Cell Wall flagellar are characteristic of
o Rigid exterior that defines the particular species:
shape of bacterial cells ▪ Peritrichous
o Peptidoglycan • over entire surface
▪ Found only in bacteria
 ▪ Lophotrichous
Reproduction of Organisms and Their Cells
• Tuft at one end
▪ Amphitrichous
• One or more at both - Prokaryotic Cell Reproduction
ends o Reproduced by a process known
▪ Monotrichous as binary fission
• Single polar ▪ One cell splits in half to
flagellum become two daughter cells
▪ Atrichous ▪ Before a prokaryotic cell
• No flagellum divides in half, the
chromosome must be
- Pili (also called Fimbriae) duplicated
o Hairlike structures
o Most often observed on gram- o Generation Time
negative bacteria ▪ Time it takes for binary
o Composed of Pilin vision to occur
▪ Polymerized protein ▪ Varies from one species to
molecules another and depends on
o Thinner than flagella, have a rigid growth conditions
structure, and are not associated
with motility. Taxonomy
o Enable bacteria to anchor
themselves to surfaces - The science of classification of living
o Some bacteria possess a sex pilus organisms
for conjugation. - Consists of classification, nomenclature,
▪ Transfer of one DNA to and identification
another DNA. - Classification
o The arrangement of organisms into
taxonomic groups
- Spores (endospores) ▪ Known as Taxa
o A few genera are capable or
forming thick-walled spores as a
means of survival. Microbial Classification
▪ Ex: Bacillus and - Science of taxonomy was established
Clostridium based on the binomial system of
o Sporulation nomenclature.
▪ Process of spore formation - In the binomial system, each organism is
▪ It is not reproduction given two names
o Have been shown to survive for o Genus and specific epithet
many years and are resistant to
heat, cold, drying, and most
Three-Domain System of Classification
chemicals.
o Usually one spore is produced in a 1. Archaea (prokaryotic)
bacterial cell, which generates into o Without peptidoglycab
one vegetative bacterium. 2. Bacteria (Prokaryotic)
o Can be visualized using a spore o With peptidoglycan
stain. 3. Eucarya (All eukaryotic organisms)

- Based on differences in the structure of

certain ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules
among organisms in the three domains.
Determining Relatedness among Organisms

- rRNA sequencing
o most widely used technique for
gauging diversity or ‘relatedness’
- Ribosomes are composed of two
subunits:
o Small subunit
▪ Only one rRNA molecule
▪ 16s rRNA (prokaryotes)
o Large subunit
▪ 18s rRNA (eukaryotes)

Charles Darwin

- Theory of Evolution