Bacteria and Archaea

Fermentation

strategy for making ATP without using electron transport chains; much less efficient than cellular respiration

Heterotrophs

Synthesize their own building blocks with C-C bonds by absorbing ready-to-use organic compounds from their environments

Autotrophs

Synthesize their own building blocks with C-C bonds from simple starting materials such as CO2 and CH4

Chemolithotrophs

oxidize inorganic molecules with high potential energy, such as NH3 or CH4; ATP is produced by cellular respiration with inorganic compounds serving as the electron donor

Chemoorganotrophs

oxidize organic molecules with high potential energy, such as sugars; ATP may be produced by cellular respiration with sugars serving as electron donors or via fermentation pathways

Halophiles

salty lakes, ponds, and soils

Similarities between Archaea and Eukarya

1) Similar rRNA sequence of small ribosomal subunit 2) 3 RNA polymerase molecules 3) Some Archaeans have introns in their DNA 4) DNA is wrapped around histone protein complexes 5) Protein initiator amino acid is MET

Thermophiles

Grows best at temps above 80 C

Phototrophs

Use light energy to produce/promote electrons to the top of the electron transport chains; ATP is produced by photophosphorylation

Bioremediation

Use of bacteria and archaea to degrade pollutants

Name two things that all organisms must acquire.

1) Chemical energy in the form of ATP 2) Carbon compounds that can serve as building blocks for synthesis of cellular components

How to use bioremediation.

1) Fertilizing contaminated sites to encourage the growth of existing bacteria and archaea 2) Seeding specific species of bacteria and archaea to contaminated sites

How do archaea differ from bacteria?

1) No peptidoglycan in cell walls if they have cell walls. 2) Different plasma membrane configuration.

How do bacteria and archaea produce ATP?

1) Phototrophs 2) Chemoorganotrophs 3) Chemolithotrophs

What drugs to gram negative bacteria respond to?

Affected by erythromycin or other drugs that poison bacterial ribosomes

Types of molecules that distinguish bacteria and archaea.

Bacteria have a unique compound called peptidoglycan in cell walls. Archaea have unique phospholipids in their plasma membrane and hydrocarbon tails that contain isoprene.

Differences between bacteria and archaea to process genetic info.

DNA and RNA polymerases, transcription-initiation proteins, and ribosomes found in Archaea and Eukarya are distinct from bacteria

Exaptation

Developed ability initially for dry conditions but also useful for high radiation

Germ theory of disease

Infectious disease is caused by bacteria and viruses

Characteristics of bacteria and archaea.

Most are unicellular and prokaryotic.

Where do nitrogen fixing bacteria live?

Nodules

Methanogens

Produce methane as a by product of cellular respiration

What drugs do gram positive bacteria respond to?

Respond to penicillin-like drugs that disrupt peptidogylcan synthesis

Virulence

ability to cause disease, a heritable trait among individuals in a population

Gram stain

dye treatments that distinguish between the two types of bacteria

Extremophiles

bacteria and archaea that live in high salt, high temp, or low temp, or high pressure habitats

Gram positive

cells have a cell wall containing an extensive amount of carbohydrate called peptidoglycan; purple

Gram negative

cells have a cell wall with two components, a thin layer containing peptidoglycan and an outer phospholipid bilayer; pink