Microbiology
Chapter 3: Bacterial Morphology It can stimulate an antibody response
from the immune system.
Bacteria The capsule serves to protect the
Are prokaryotic, have simpler structure than organism from dehydration.
eukaryotic Cell wall
In terms of morphology, bacteria may be
classified into three basic shapes: Bacterial cell wall is sometimes called the
1. Coccus (pl. cocci) murein sacculus. Principal component is
described as spherical or round- peptidoglycan, also called murein or muco
shaped organisms (e.g. peptide
staphylococcus, streptococcus) Multi-layered in gram positive bacteria
may be arranged singly; Single-layered in gram negative bacteria
in pairs (diplococci) Cell wall provides rigid support and give
in chains (streptococci) shaped to the bacteria.
in clusters (staphylococci) Protects the bacteria from ostomic damage
in groups of 4 (tetrad) and play important role in cell division.
in groups of 8 (octad)
2. Bacillus (pl. bacilli) SPECIAL COMPONENTS OF GRAM-POSITIVE CELL
Described as rod-shaped WALLS
organisms (e.g. Escherichia coli, 1. Teichoic acids
salmonella) Comprise major surface antigens of
Some may be very short, gram-positive organisms, and can
resembling elongated cocci called elicit antibody response.
coccobacilli. (e.g. Haemophilus Some GPO such as Staphylococcus
influenza) aureus, teichoic acid function for the
3. Spiral-shaped or curved attachment of the organism to the host
Shows variations in their cell. These also provide tensile
morphology. strength to GPB cell walls.
Vibrio cholerae, the organism 2. Polysaccharides
causing cholera, described as Molecules include neutral sugars such
comma-shaped. as mannose, arabinose, rhamnose,
Causing agent of syphilis, and glucosamine.
treponema pallidum, is spiral in Also includes some acidic sugars such
shaped. as glucuronic acid and mannuronic
Causing agent of diphtheria, acid.
Corynebacterium diphtheria, is
club-shaped. SPECIAL COMPONENTS OF GRAM-NEGATIVE
CELL WALLS
ENVELOPE STRUCTURES
1. Outer membrane
Prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a Bi-layered structure hwere the inner
complex envelope that may vary in leaflet is composed of a
composition. The envelope serves to lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
protect the bacteria from harsh Has special protein channels that
environmental condition. allow the passage of small or low-
Glycocalyx molecular weight hydrophilic
substance such as sugar and amino
Outer most covering of some bacteria. acids
Gelatinous substance that is located LPS has a complex glycolipid called
external to the cell wall, composed of lipid A, responsible for its edotoxin
polysaccharide or polypeptide, or activity. It is located in the outer leaflet
both. of the outer membrane.
Capsule if strongly attached to the cell The inner core is polysaccharide
wall, and slime layer if loosely made up of repeat units called O
attached to the cell wall. antigen, unique for every species of
The presence of capsule is indicative bacteria.
of the virulence of an organism, aiding
the organism in the evasion of
phagocytosis.
Attachment to another bacterium
during form of bacterial gene
exchange
2. Lipoprotein Axial filaments
Functions to anchor the outer
membrane to the peptidoglycan layer Also called endoflagella and are found in
and stabilized the outer membrane. spirochetes (e.g. treponema pallidum causing
3. Periplasmic Space syphilis)
Fluid-space between the outer There are composed of bundles of fibrils, the
membrane and the inner plasma structure of which are similar to flagella.
membrane.
It contains enzyme for the breakdown
of large non-transportable molecules Rise from the ends of the bacterial cell and
intro transportable ones. spiral around the cell.
And enzymes that serve to detoxify
and inactive antibiotics. Filaments rotate producing movement of the
Acid-fast cell wall outer sheath of the spirochetes propelling
them forward.
Acid-fast cell wall such as mycobacterium
tuberculosis, possess an outer layer that is CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE
lipid-rich. Also called cell membrane or plasma
The cell wall of AFO is composed of large membrane
amounts of waxes that are known as mycolic Located beneath the cell wall.
acids. It is sometimes called as cell sac, because it
The inner layer of cell wall is also made up of encloses the cytoplasm of the cell.
peptidoglycan, but because the outermost Selectively permeable membrane, that allows
layer is lipid-rich, cell walls of acid-fast for the transport of selected solutes.
organisms are hydrophobic. Reason why In aerobic organisms, it is the site of the
they cannot stain using reagents used in gram electron transport chain and serve as the site
staining. for ATP production. It therefore serve as the
The hydrophobic nature of their cell wall function of mitochondria, which is not found in
protects them from harsh chemicals such as prokaryotic cell.
strong acids and detergents. Also contains the enzymes needed for the
PROJECTING STRUCTURES biosynthesis of DNA, cell wall components,
membrane lipids.
Flagella
INTERNAL STRUCTURES
Thread-like structures
Made up entirely of molecules of the protein Nucleoid
sub-unit flagellin. Bacteria have no true nucleus that is
They project from the capsule and are organs surrounded by a nuclear membrane.
for motility. Its genetic material is packaged in a structure
Flagella are classified into 4 types; mainly: called the nucleoid.
a. Monotrichous (single polar flagellum) Bacteria possess a single, circular, double-
b. Lophotrichous (a tuft of flagella at one stranded DNA.
end of the bacterium)
c. Amphitrichous (flagella at both ends of Mesosomes
the bacterium
The mesosome functions for cell division.
d. Peritrichous (flagella all around the
Involved in the secretion of substances
bacterium)
produced by bacteria.
Bacteria without flagella are called atrichous.
Ribosomes
Pili or fimbriae
Function for protein synthesis. Unlike
Rigid surface of appendages found on many
eukaryotic ribosomes, bacterial ribosomes is
gram-negative bacteria.
smaller (70S).
Fine and short in comparison of flagella.
Structural protein sub-units are called pilins. Granules or inclusion bodies
Pili may also function for motility
Common pili Found in certain bacteria.
Function for adherence to cell surface Serve for storage of food and energy. (e.g.
Sex pili metachromatic granules for Corynebacterium
diphtheria, or much granules of
mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Endospores
Structures produce by many bacteria when
they are placed in hostile environment.
Composed of dipicolinic acid, which confers
resistance to heat, drying, chemical agents,
and radiation; making it difficult to destroy.
Sporulation – process of spore
production, this occur when the
environmental conditions are
detrimental to the bacteria.
Germination – when environmental
conditions become favorable, the
endospores revert to their vegetative
state through a process called
germination.
Some gram-positive, but never gram-negative,
bacteria form spores.
