Bacteria are unicellular microscopic organisms that do not have a nuclear membrane and any membrane enclosed organelles. They fall into the class of organisms known as prokaryotes. They are only a few micrometers in length.
There are four main morphologies of bacteria: Cocci, bacilli, spiral and vibrio. Cocci are spherical in shape, bacilli are rod-like and spiral bacteria form a coil like structure, as the name suggests. Vibrio is a type of bacteria that are shaped like a comma.
Bacteria are found everywhere. In only about a gram of soil, you would find around 40 million bacteria. Some bacteria may be pathogenic, that is they might cause disease. However, a large number is harmless to humans or other organisms. Bacteria help in releasing locked up nutrients in dead organic matter so that the nutrient cycles can continue. Some kinds also help ruminants with digestion. Bacteria are responsible for making wine from fruit juice and cheese from milk.
Bacteria were first observed in 1676 by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. He observed them by studying them through a single-lensed microscope he had designed himself. Bacteria are the earliest form of life, at least their ancestors sure were!
Bacteria are usually surrounded by a lipid layer and contain a cell wall. They do not have a 'true' nucleus because there is no nuclear envelope. However, there is nuclear matter present in the form of a singular circular chromosome.
Some other things present in bacteria are plasmids, ribosomes, and starch crystals. There are short projections on the outside of some bacteria known as pili and a tail-like structure called flagellum that helps with its locomotion.
But some of the diseases we acquire also happen because of some bacteria. Some diseases caused by bacteria are tuberculosis, cholera, anthrax, conjunctivitis, food poisoning, pneumonia, tetanus and botulism.
There are four main morphologies of bacteria: Cocci, bacilli, spiral and vibrio. Cocci are spherical in shape, bacilli are rod-like and spiral bacteria form a coil like structure, as the name suggests. Vibrio is a type of bacteria that are shaped like a comma.
Bacteria are found everywhere. In only about a gram of soil, you would find around 40 million bacteria. Some bacteria may be pathogenic, that is they might cause disease. However, a large number is harmless to humans or other organisms. Bacteria help in releasing locked up nutrients in dead organic matter so that the nutrient cycles can continue. Some kinds also help ruminants with digestion. Bacteria are responsible for making wine from fruit juice and cheese from milk.
Bacteria were first observed in 1676 by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. He observed them by studying them through a single-lensed microscope he had designed himself. Bacteria are the earliest form of life, at least their ancestors sure were!
Bacteria are usually surrounded by a lipid layer and contain a cell wall. They do not have a 'true' nucleus because there is no nuclear envelope. However, there is nuclear matter present in the form of a singular circular chromosome.
Some other things present in bacteria are plasmids, ribosomes, and starch crystals. There are short projections on the outside of some bacteria known as pili and a tail-like structure called flagellum that helps with its locomotion.
But some of the diseases we acquire also happen because of some bacteria. Some diseases caused by bacteria are tuberculosis, cholera, anthrax, conjunctivitis, food poisoning, pneumonia, tetanus and botulism.
