Chapter

19Bacteria and Viruses

19-1 Bacteria• The invention of the microscope

opened our eyes to the hidden, living world around us

• Microscopic life covers nearly every square centimeter of Earth

Prokaryotes

• The smallest and most common microorganisms

• Unicellular organisms that lack a nucleusand membrane bound organelles

• bacteria

Classifying Prokaryotes• Until recently, all prokaryotes were

placed in a single kingdom - monera• More recently, biologists have

begun to appreciate that prokaryotes can be divided into two very different kingdoms: the eubacteriaand the archaebacteria

Eubacteria• Eubacteria include a wide range

of organisms with different lifestyles

• Eubacteria live almost everywhere

Archaebacteria• Lack the same carbohydrates of

eubacteria and also have different membrane lipids

• Also, the DNA sequences of key archaebacterial genes are more like those of eukaryotes than those of eubacteria

• Many archaebacteria live in extremely harsh environments

Identifying Prokaryotes• Prokaryotes are identified by

characteristics such as shape, the chemical nature of their cell walls, the way they move and the way they obtain energy

Shapes• Bacilli – rod shaped

• Cocci – spherical shaped

• Spirilla – spiral and corkscrew shaped

Cell Walls• Eubacteria – have peptigoglycan

• Archaebacteia – don’t have peptigoglycan

Movement• Some bacteria move differently

than others

Metabolic Diversity• No characteristic of prokaryotes

illustrates their diversity better than the way they obtain energy

Heterotrophs

• Must take inorganic molecules for both energy and a supply of carbon

Photoheterotrophs• These organisms are

photosynthetic using sunlight for energy but they also need to take in organic compounds as a carbon source

Photoautotrophs

• Use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water to carbon compounds and oxygen in a process similar to that used by green plants

Ex.) cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)

Chemoautotrophs • Can perform chemosynthesis

• Make organic carbon molecules from carbon dioxide

• Unlike photoautotrophs, however they do not require light as a source of energy. Instead they use energy directly from chemical reactions

Releasing Energy• Like all organisms, bacteria need

a constant supply of energy

• This energy is released by the process of cellular respiration or fermentation or both

Obligate aerobes • Require a constant supply of

oxygen in order to live

Obligate anaerobes • Do not require oxygen and if fact

may be killed by it

Facultative anaerobes • Can survive with or without

oxygen

Growth and Reproduction

• Bacteria can grow really fast

• If unlimited space and food were available to a single bacterium and if all of its offspring divided every 20 minutes in just 48 hours they would reach a mass of approximately 4000 times the mass of the earth!

Binary Fission• When a bacterium has grown so

that it has nearly doubled in size, it replicates its DNA and divides in half producing 2 identical daughter cells

Binary Fission

• Bacterial reproduction, asexual reproduction

Conjugation• Many bacteria are also able to

exchange genetic information by a process called conjugation

• This transfer of genetic information increases genetic diversity

Spore Formation• When growth conditions become

unfavorable, many bacteria form structures called spores

Endospore

• A type of spore formed when a bacterium produces a thick internal wall that encloses a thick internal wall that encloses its DNA and a portion of its cytoplasm

Endospore

Importance of Bacteria• Bacteria are vital to maintaining the

living world• Some are producers that capture

energy by photosynthesis• Others are decomposers that break

down the nutrients in dead matter and the atmosphere

• Still other bacteria have human uses

Decomposers• As decomposers, bacteria help

the ecosystem recycle nutrients, therefore maintaining equilibrium in the environment

Nitrogen Fixers• You may recall that plants need nitrogen to

make amino acids, the building blocks of protiens

• Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up approximately 78 percent of Earth’s atmosphere

• However, plants can’t use nitrogen gas directly

• Nitrogen must first be changed chemically to ammonia (NH3) or other nitrogen compounds

Nitrogen fixation • Process which turns unusable nitrogen

gas into useful nitrogen containing compounds

• Allows nitrogen atoms to continually cycle through the biosphere

• Many plants have symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing bacteria

Human Uses of Bacteria• Used in food and beverage

production• Industries: petroleum, water,

mining, drugs• Inside of us (symbiosis)

–E.coli

• Drug research

19 – 2 Viruses

Viruses• Particles of nucleic acid, protein, and

sometimes lipids

• Viruses can reproduce only by infecting living cells

• A typical virus is composed of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat

• Viruses are very small. They can only be seen with an electron microscope

Capsid • A viruses protein coat

• The capsid proteins of a typical virus bind to receptors on the surface of a cell and “trick” the cell into allowing it inside

• Once inside, the viral genes are expressed and causes the host cell to make copies of the virus and in the process the host cell is destroyed

• Because viruses must bind precisely to proteins on the cell surface and then use a hosts genetic system, most viruses are highly specific to the cells they infect

Viral Infection• Once the virus is inside the host

cell, two different processes may occur

Lytic Infection• In a lytic infection, a virus enters a

cell, makes copies of itself, and causes the cell to burst

A literary approach to lytic virus infections

In its own way, a lytic virus is similar to a desperado in the Old West. First, the outlaw eliminates the town’s existing authority (host cell DNA). Then, the desperado demands to be outfitted with new weapons, horses, and riding equipment by terrorizing the local people (using the host cell to make proteins). Finally, the desperado forms a gang that leaves the town to attack new communities (the host cell bursts, releasing hundreds of virus particles).

Lysogenic Infection• In a lysogenic infection, a virus integrates its

DNA into the DNA of the host cell, and the viral genetic information replicates along with the host cells DNA

• Unlike lytic viruses, lysogenic viruses do not lyse the host cell right away. Instead, a lysogenic virus remains inactive for a period of time

• Eventually, only one of a number of factors may activate the DNA of a prophage which will then remove itself from the host cell DNA and direct the synthesis of new viruses particles

Retroviruses• Viruses that contain RNA as their

genetic information

• When retroviruses infect a cell, they produce a DNA copy of their RNA

• Ex.) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Feline leukemia virus

Viruses and Living Cells• Viruses must infect a living cell in

order to grow and reproduce• They also take advantage of the

host’s respiration, nutrition and all the other functions that occur in living things

• Therefore, viruses are considered to be parasites

Parasites • organisms that live on or in a host

organism from which it obtains nutrients, and it usually does harm to the host

Cells and VirusesCharacteristic Cell Virus

Structure Cell membrane, cytoplasm; eukaryotes also contain nucleus and organelles

Reproduction Independent cell division either asexually or sexually

Genetic Code DNA

Growth and Development Yes; in multicellular organisms, cells increase in number and differentiate

Obtain and Use Energy yes

Response to Environment yes

Change Over Time yes

Are viruses alive?

19 – 3 Diseases Caused by Bacteria and Viruses

• Bacteria and viruses are everywhere in nature, but only a few cause disease

Pathogens • Disease causing agents

• All viruses reproduce by infecting living cells, and disease results when the infection causes harm to the host

• All bacteria require nutrients and energy: however, disease results when bacteria interfere with the host’s ability to obtain enough of those elements to function properly

Bacterial Disease in Humans• Bacteria produce disease in one of

two general ways

1. Some bacteria damage the cells and tissues of the host by breaking down the cells for food

2. Other bacteria release toxins that travel throughout the body interfering with the normal activity of the host

Preventing Bacterial Disease

• Many bacterial disease can be prevented by stimulating the bodies immune system with vaccines

Vaccine • A preparation of weakened or killed

pathogen

• When injected into the body, a vaccine sometimes prompts the body to produce immunity to the disease

• If a bacterial infection does occur, a number of drugs can be used to attack and destroy the invading bacteria

Antibiotics

• Compounds that block the growth and reproduction of bacteria NOT virus

Controlling Bacteria• There are various methods used

to control bacterial growth, including sterilization, disinfectants, and food processing

Sterilization by Heat• Many bacteria cannot survive

high temperatures for a long time, so most can be killed by exposure to high heat

• Ex.) pasteurization

Disinfectants • Chemical solutions that kill

pathogenic bacteria (chlorine)

Food Storage and Processing

• Food that is stored at a low temperature will stay fresh longer because bacteria cannot reproduce fast at cold temperatures

• Also, a lot of the processing procedures that are used in the food industry raise the temperature of food to a point where the bacteria are killed

Viral Disease in Humans• Like bacteria, viruses produce

disease by disrupting the body’s normal equilibrium

• Unlike bacterial diseases, viruses can’t be treated with antibiotics

• The best way to protect against most viral diseases lies in prevention by the use of vaccines

Viral Disease in Animals• Viruses produce serious animal diseases

Ex.) Foot-and-mouth disease, Rous sarcoma

Viral Disease in Plants• Many viruses infect plants

• Ex.) Tobacco mosaic virus, potato yellow dwarf virus

Viroids and Prions• Scientists have discovered two

virus-like particles that also cause disease

Viroids• Single stranded RNA molecules

that have no surrounding capsid

• Cause disease in plants

Prions• Proteins that cause disease in animals

Ex.) Mad cow disease