DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF MICROBIAL GROUPS

MICROBIAL GROUPS

- ARCHAEBACTERIA

- EUBACTERIA

- SACCHAROMYCES

- AMOEBA

- PLASMODIUM

- PARAMECIUM

- EUGLENA

- CHLORELLA

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF MICROBIAL GROUPS

EUBACTERIA

ARCHAEABACTERIA

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

E. Coli

Halobacterium salinarum

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While, as prokaryotes, eubacteria lack organized membrane-bound organelles, they have specialized internal membranes (for example: cyanobacteria have membranes that contain chlorophyll.)

Eubacteria are able to survive in extreme conditions such as areas of volcanic activities and are present almost everywhere.

Archaebacteria are obligate anaerobes who can survive only in oxygen-free environments.

Eubacteria are unicellular organisms that can be found in 3 different shapes:

- Round or spherical or oval shaped

- Rod shaped

- Spiral shaped

Archaebacteria do not have membrane-bound organelles, instead its cells are composed of a thick cytoplasm that contains all the compounds and molecules the organism requires for metabolism. Because it doesn't have a nuclei, its genetic material floats freely around the cytoplasm.

The composition of their cell walls is unique because it doesn't contain peptidoglycan but instead it is made up of pseudomurein which makes archaebacteria immune to the effects of lysozymes.

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Eubacteria mostly reproduce through binary fission, but some also reproduce by budding.

The cell membranes of archaebacteria are composed of lipids. Archaebacteria membrane lipids are ether linked branched aliphatic chains.

Eubacteria cell membrane are composed of lipids. Eubacteria membrane lipids are ester linked, straight chained fatty acids.

Archaebacteria reproduce through a process known as binary fission.

The size of archaebacteria range from one-tenth of a micrometer to 15 micrometers.

PLASMODIUM

SACCHAROMYCES

AMOEBA

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

Plasmodium Falciparum

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Amoeba gorgonia

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Saccharomyces cells are typically oblong spheroids with a central vacuole and a small nucleus.

Chromosomes of saccharomyces contain a single linear double-stranded DNA with few repeated sequences.

The genus saccharomyces is composed of unicellular fungi or "yeasts" which are known for their ability to convert sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol through usage of enzymes.

All species examined to date have 14 chromosomes, one mitochondrion and one plastid.

Plasmodium consists of eukaryotic parasitic protozoa, best known as the etiological agent of human malaria.

Amoebae ingest food by way of phagocytosis, in which it engulfs bacteria or smaller protists and secretes digestive enzymes into the vacuole.

Amoebae are unicellular eukaryotes that because of their lack of a cell wall, have no definite cellular structure and can manifest in different forms in accordance to its surrounding conditions.

Plasmodium have an elaborate life-cycle with multiple stages that take place both in the mosquito vector and vertebrate host, involving an infective stage, exoerythrocytic stage, erythrocytic stages, and reproductive stages during which they manifest themselves in 3 forms, gameocytes, sporozoites and merozoites.

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An Amoeba can have more than 2 nuclei in its cell.

Saccharomyces cell walls are composed of glucan and mannoproteins.

Organisms in the Plasmodium genus can be differentiated from other organisms considered malaria parasites by the fact that plasmodium organisms undergo multiple divisions of the nucleus followed by segmentation of the cytoplasm producing daughter cells merozoites and produce hemozoin pigments (crystalline by-product of hemoglobin digestion).

Saccharomyces can be differentiated from other types of yeast by the following characteristics:

- multipolar budding

- production of ascospores

- fermentation profile.

When an infected mosquito bites a human, sporozoites are injected with the saliva. Sporozoites, immature forms of the parasite, are 10-15 micrometers in length and 1 micrometer in diameter, they have a thin outer membrane, a double inner membrane below which lies subpelicular microtubules, they have 3 polar rings with long rhoptries with a mitochondria located at the posterior end.

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Amoebae are very sensitive to environmental stimuli, for example when placed in a hypertonic saline solution the cell shrinks to prevent the entry of salt, when placed in hypotonic freshwater, the cell expands and swells. When an amoeba is exposed to a potentially lethal or dangerous environment, it turns into its dormant form known as Amoebic cyst and stays in the cyst form until it encounters normal environmental conditions.

Amoebae reproduce asexually by splitting into 2 parts, similar to cell division in multicellular eukaryotes.

PARAMECIUM

EUGLENA

CHLORELLA

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

EXAMPLE:

Paramecium putrinum

Euglena gracilis

Chlorella autotrophica

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Species belonging to the Paramecium genus range in size from 50 to 330 micrometers.

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Near all species belonging to the paramecium genus have closely spaced spindle-shaped trichocysts embedded in their cellular envelope which surrounds the organism.

The genus Paramecium belongs to the phylum Ciliophora. Members of this phylum are characterized by their external coat of continuously beating, air-like cilia which are motility organelles + they are mutlinucleated.

In their chloroplasts, species belonging to the chlorella genus contain chlorophyll a and b.

Species belonging to the chlorella genus are, on average, 2 to 10 micrometers in diameter.

Species belonging to the euglena genus contain chloroplasts which contain pyrenoids which is a form of starch energy storage which enables Euglena to survive for long periods of time without light.

Euglena belongs to the phylum Euglenozoa whose members are unicellular organisms found usually in freshwater who have flagellum as motility organelles, furthermore, euglena belongs to the class Euglenoida whose members have a tough outer coating known as pecile (composed of proteins and gives them strenght and flexibility) and does photosynthesis as a source of nutrition.

Chlorella is a genus of single-cell green algae which are spherical in shape.

They are eukaryotes that contain all the common cellular oragnelles such as ribosomes to make protein, both mitochondria and chloroplasts to produce energy, and a nucleus to serve as a control center. The unique part of this is that they contain both mitochondria and chloroplasts.

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Their cells are typically ovoid, elongated, and cigar-shaped which are enclosed by a stiff but elastic membrane.

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Macronuclear DNA in Paramecium has a very high gene density, such that a macronucleus can contain up to 800 copies of each gene.

Euglena reproduces asexually through binary fission, a form of cellular division. Euglena divide longitudinally, starting from the front end of the cell with the duplication of flagellar processes.

Because it is very rich in proteins and B-complex vitamins, it has been extensively studied as a potential food source for humans.

Euglena, like others that belong to the class Euglenoida, have two flagella rooted in basal bodies located at the front of the cell. However, Euglena has one short flagellum and another relatively long one.

Paramecium are usually found in aquatic environments, specifically warm, stagnant water.

Chlorella can multiply rapidly requiring only carbon dioxide, water, sunlight and a small amount of minerals to reproduce.