Explanation of the Structure of Bacteria and Its Types, What are they?
Various Types of Bacterial Structures You Should Know! Bacteria comes from the word bacteria which means small animal. Bacteria are the smallest living things that enter into unicellular organisms or commonly called one-celled living things.
These small creatures also include prokaryotic cell types, namely cells that do not have a nuclear membrane and an endomembrane system (inner membrane) such as the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) and Golgi bodies.
In addition, bacteria also have walls that protect the body of bacteria, but these walls do not have chlorophyll.
Antony Van Leevwenhoek was a Dutch scientist who became the first person to discover bacteria.
He is the same person who made the single lens microscope in 1674. After a century and a half passed, namely in 1828 there was a scientist named Ehrenberg who began to introduce bacteria.
The body of bacteria has a bacterial structure that supports its life. The structures in it have their respective roles and duties that synergize with each other.
This time, we will explain a little below about the structure of the bacterial body and complete with its duties, including:
Bacteria Structure and Function
Capsules and Mucus Coating
The capsule in bacteria is the outermost layer in the form of compounds that have been secreted by bacteria. This section serves as a protective part of the body of bacteria. In addition, it is in charge of maintaining the humidity of the cell body from extreme environmental temperatures.
Cell wall
This part of the bacterial structure serves as a protector and gives shape to the cell. This protection is provided so that bacteria do not break down in a hypotonic environment. Bacterial cell walls are composed of peptidoglycan, lipids, and proteins.
Plasma Membrane
The plasma membrane is composed of phospholipid molecules and proteins that are selectively permeable, and encloses the cytoplasm. In charge of protecting the bacterial body against the surrounding environment and regulating the entry and exit of molecular ions and cellular respiration.
mesosomes
This bacterial structure serves as an energy producer because it contains respiratory enzymes. In addition, mesosomes also have the task of forming new cell walls when bacteria divide and receive DNA at conjunction.
Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm is composed of proteins, lipids, water, minerals, and enzymes in charge of digesting food intracellularly. Not only that, this section also serves as a place for cellular metabolic reactions.
Ribosomes
The next bacterial structure is the ribosome which has a very small diameter of 15-20 nm, which is spread throughout the cytoplasm. Ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis.
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly abbreviated as DNA, serves as the carrier of the gene code that will be passed on to offspring.
Granules and Gas Vacuoles
Granula is a bacterial structure that serves as a place to store food reserves. While gas vacuoles are usually found in bacteria that live in water.
This section is in charge of allowing bacteria to float, so that they are exposed to sunlight which is useful for photosynthesis.
Chlorosome
Chlorosomes contain chlorophyll and the pigments needed for photosynthesis which are located in the lower folds of the plasma membrane. Usually, this part is found in photosynthetic bacteria whose job is to carry out photosynthesis.
Flagella
The structure of this one bacterium is composed of protein compounds that are shaped like whip feathers, which serve as locomotion.
Pilus or Fimbria
This part is almost similar to flagella, the difference is that it is smaller in diameter like fine hairs, stiff, and surrounds the cell wall.
Fimbriae are tasked with making it easier for bacteria to attach to the medium in which they live and attach to other bacteria.
Thus an explanation of the structure of bacteria and their duties that you should know. Hopefully this article can provide benefits and add insight for you, thank you.
