BIOL 1543 Study Guide - Final Guide: Gram Staining, Gram-Negative Bacteria, Spiral Bacteria
19 May 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Prokaryotes are found wherever there is life. The collective biomass is 10 times that of all eukaryotes. Microbiota: the community of microorganisms that live in and on our bodies. Bacteria living in our skin perform helpful functions (decomposing dead skin cells), guard body from pathogenetic intruders. Prokaryotes make nitrogen available to plants/other organisms. 16. 2: external features contribute to the success of prokaryotes. Cell shape: important to identifying prokaryotes: cocci: spherical prokaryotic cells (streptococci: cocci that occur in chains) (staphylococci: cocci that occur in clusters, bacilli: rod-shaped prokaryotes. Mostly occur singly, may also be threadlike or filamentous: spirochete: spiral, corkscrew shape, long/flexible cells (spirilla: short and rigid) Cell wall: nearly all prokaryotes have a cell wall. Generally more threatening (toxic lipids: archaea don"t have any peptidoglycan, wall is often covered by a capsule (sticky layer of polysaccharide or protein) that enables prokaryotes to adhere to a surface or to other individuals in a colony.
