BIOL 1202 Chapter : BIOL 1202 Chapter 27 Outline
Document Summary
Biol 1202 chapter 27 outline: bacteria and archaea. Structural and functional adaptations contribute to prokaryotic success. Prokaryotes: unicellular, very small, variety of shapes, cocci, bacilli, spiral, cell-surface structures: A key feature of nearly all prokaryotic cells is the cell wall, which maintains cell shape, protects the cell, and prevents it from bursting in a hypotonic environment. Cell walls of prokaryotes differ in structure from those of eukaryotes. In eukaryotes that have cell walls, such as plant and fungi, the walls are usually made of cellulose of chitin. In contrast, most bacterial cell walls contain peptidoglycan: peptidoglycan: a polymer composed of modified sugars cross-linked by short polypeptides. This molecular fabric encloses the entire bacterium and anchors other molecules that extend from its surface: archaeal cell walls contain a variety of polysaccharides and proteins but lack peptidoglycan. Fimbriae: hairlike appendages: usually shorter and more numerous than pili, allow some prokaryotes to attach to substrates.
