Bacteria & History and ecology

The word bacterium is norm in ally associated with disease-causing organisms, like the Streptococcus bacteria. While there atomic number 18 a considerable number of pathogenic bacteria that be nonorious for much(prenominal) diseases as cholera, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea, such disease-causing species are a comparatively tiny segment of the bacteria as a whole. There are approximately v nonillion (5? 1030) bacteria in the world. bacterium are so widespread that it is feasible only to make the most general statements ab issue their life archives and ecology (Berkeley Free Clinic, 1).There are bacteria that plays key role in the global ecosystem. They may be found on the tops of mountains, the laughingstock of the deepest oceans, in the guts of animals, and raze in the frozen rocks and ice of Antarctica. atomic number 53 feature that has enabled them to spread so far, and last so long is their dexterity to go dormant for an extended period. There are specific methods i n order to study and observe bacteria because they are not panoptic to the naked eye. Even with the use of microscope they are very difficult to make love without adding some prints that would render them visible.DETAILS Properties bacterium are prokaryotic (no tissue layer-en final staged nucleus) that do not contain mitochondria or chloroplasts. They have single chromosome that are composed of close circle of double-stranded DNA with no associated histones. If flagella are present, they are made of a single filament of the protein flagellin there are none of the 9+2 tubulin-containing microtubules of the eukaryotes (Users. rcn. com, 1). Their ribosomes differ from those of the eukaryotes. Bacteria have a rigid cell jetty made of peptidoglycan that allows them to survive at long periods of time.They do not fulfil mitosis and mostly reproduce through a knowledgeable reproduction. Any form of sexual reproduction varies differently from the eukaryotes because they do not perform meiosis. The plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer but contains no cholesterol or opposite steroids (Users. rcn. com, 1). close of bacteria form a single spore when their food supply runs low. This is the discernment why pathogenic bacteria become infectious at the subsequent part of the attack. approximately of the water is removed from the spore and metabolism ceases.Spores are so resistant to adverse conditions of dryness and temperature that they may remain viable crimson after 50 years of dormancy (Users. rcn. com, 1). Environmental and Nutritive Requirements Most bacteria can be classified according to their response to oxygen. These are consist of three distinct group, aerophilic bacteria which thrives in the front end of oxygen, Anaerobic which cannot tolerate gaseous oxygen, and facultative anaerobes which prefer growing in the presence of oxygen but are able to survive without it. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen for their continued growth and existence.On the separate apply anaerobic cannot survive in the presence of gaseous oxygen. These bacteria personify in deep underwater sediments, or in oxygen take environment such as those that cause bacterial food poisoning. Bacteria also differ in the mode and source of their energy. There are Heterotrophs that derive energy from breaking down complex organic compounds that they must take in from the environment. This includes saprobic bacteria found in decaying material, as well as those that rely on fermentation or respiration.The other group, the autotrophs, fix carbon dioxide to make their own food source this may be fueled by light energy (photoautotrophic), or by oxidation of nitrogen, south, or other elements (chemoautotrophic) (Berkeley Free Clinic, 2). Chemoautotrophs are uncommon eyepatch photoautotrophs are more common and quite diverse. One particular bacteria offers a very interesting behavior because they use hydrogen sulphide as hydrogen donor, instead of water like most ot her photosynthetic organisms, including cyanobacteria.There are green sulfur bacteria and purple sulfur bacteria, Other Bacteria include the cyanobacteria, and purple nonsulfur bacteria. Role in the spheric Ecosystem Bacteria play a very important role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem. Through their ceaseless labor, they cycle nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. For cause without bacteria to decompose rotten objects, our CO2 would have been depleted and all our plants would have ceased to exist. The process of decomposition releases nutrients back into the environment for plants and other keep organisms.Bacteria also cycle nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen is important for plants health and growth. Without these cycling processes all our plants would die and then humanity would have ran out of food. Gram Stain Bacteria happens to have a refractive might similar to water, therefore they are very difficult to spot from an aqueous sample. To solve this problem , biological stains are added so that microorganisms can be visualized. Stains are classified as either simple or differential.Simple stains impart the identical color to all structures whereas differential stains contain more than one dye and impart different colors to various structures(Delost, 39). One very important method is the Gram Stain, which was first introduced by Hans Christian Gram in the late 1800s. It has been modified and adjusted numerous times. The Gram stain willing differentiate gram-positive bacteria from gram-negative bacteria (Delost, 39). Gram stain is one form of a differential stain that is widely even in the methods.It consists of several reagents such as crystal violet, Grams iodine, ethyl alcohol or acetone, and safranin O or carbulfuchsin. Bibliography Unknown. (2000). Bacteria Life History and Ecology. Retrieved on February 18, 2007 from the Berkeley Free Clinic website http//www. ucmp. berkeley. edu/bacteria/bacterialh. html Unkown. (2006). Bacteri a. Retrieved on February 18, 2007 from the Users. rcn. com website http//users. rcn. com/jkimball. ma. ultranet/BiologyPages/E/Eubacteria. Delost, M. Introduction to Diagnostic Microbiology. (1997). Harcourt Brace & Company Asia Pte Ltd. .