01:119:115 Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Gram Staining, Gram-Positive Bacteria, Cell Membrane
15 Feb 2018
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Concept 27. 1 structural, functional, and genetic adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success. Nearly all prokaryotes have a cell wall external to the plasma membrane. In nearly all prokaryotes, a cell wall maintains the shape of the cell, affords physical protection, and prevents the cell from bursting in a hypotonic environment. In anaerobic respiration, inorganic molecules other than o2 accept electrons from electron transport chains: nitrogen is an essential component of proteins and nucleic acids in all organisms, eukaryotes are limited in the forms of nitrogen they can use. In some cases, different species of prokaryotes may cooperate: for example, sulfate-consuming bacteria and methane-consuming archaea coexist in ball-shaped aggregates in the mud of the ocean floor, the (cid:271)a(cid:272)teria use the ar(cid:272)haea"s (cid:449)aste produ(cid:272)ts. In turn, the bacteria produce compounds that facilitate methane consumption by the archaea: each year, these archaea consume an estimated 300 billion kg of methane, a major greenhouse gas. Concept 27. 4 prokaryotes play crucial roles in the biosphere.
