Major Groups of Microorganisms

Course No. BTE-5103

Hossain Md. Faruquee, Ph.D.

Archaebacteria :
• Archaebacteria are ancient group of bacteria living in
extreme environments.
• They are characterized by possessing cell walls without
peptidoglycan.
• The lipids in their plasma membrane are branched
differing from all other organisms.
• They are categorized into methanogens, halophiles and
thermoacidophiles.

Eubacteria :

• They are unicellular, prokaryotic microscopic cells.

• The cell wall is made up of Peptidoglycan (Murein).
• They can be divided into two parts - Gram-positive bacteria
and Gram-negative bacteria.
• It moves with the help of flagella.
• Rhizobium and Clostridium are two eubacteria.
Fungi

Fungi are organisms which typically cannot move, which cannot make their own food
(heterotrophic), and which contain a chemical known as chitin in their cell walls. They can
be multicellular or unicellular, with the unicellular organisms having relatively large cells.

Example:

Yeast are single-celled fungi, molds are

filamentous fungi consisting of multiple
cells in threads known as hyphae,
and mushrooms are the fruiting bodies
of filamentous fungi.
 Algae
• Algae are distinguished from animals, fungi, and protozoans by their ability to make
their own food through photosynthesis and are distinguished from plants by their
relative simplicity of structure. All algae contain the green pigment chlorophyll and
the organelles chloroplasts, both of which are essential for photosynthesis.

• Algae may be either unicellular (in which case they are known as phytoplankton) or
multicellular.
Importance
In natural waters, algae are an important source of
food for other organisms.
They also produce oxygen during photosynthesis,
adding to the dissolved oxygen content of the
water during the day.

Affects on Human Health: Harmful algal blooms contain

cyanobacteria that can cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal
illnesses, and in some cases, produce toxins that cause serious
health impacts to people, livestock, and pets.
Protozoa
Protozoa are unicellular organisms which are heterotrophic and are mobile at some stage
in their life. They do not have a cell wall, although their membrane is often surrounded by
a pellicle (a thin, flexible, protective coating). A few protozoa give their cells rigidity by
producing shells made out of calcium carbonate or silicon.
Importance
Protozoa are important in both water and wastewater
treatment. They are responsible for several of the water-borne
diseases. In addition, protozoa help break down waste in
aerobic wastewater treatment plants.
Diseases Caused by Protozoa in Humans
•Malaria. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause
seizures, yellow skin, coma and death. ...
•Amoebiasis. ...
•Chagas disease. ...
•Babesiosis. ...
•Giardiasis. ...
•Lambliasis. ...
•Cryptosporidiosis. ...
•Trichomoniasis.
Worms
• Nematodes can be distinguished from other aquatic worms by their cylindrical body and by the typical S-
shaped, wriggling movement which they use to propel themselves through the water. Most are microscopic,
but a few can grow much larger, up to several feet in length. Nematodes may live in water, in soil, or as
parasites. There are several species of parasitic nematodes which attack humans, but these species are believed
to be associated with contaminated food rather than with contaminated water.

• Flatworms, on the other hand, are worms with flattened bodies which glide along surfaces using tiny cilia. The
flatworm illustrated at the beginning of this section is a planaria, which is a common type of flatworm. Notice the two
eyespots found on the planaria - this is another feature which can be used to help identify planaria

Nematode infections in humans

ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm,

enterobiasis, strongyloidiasis,
filariasis, trichinosis, dirofilariasis,
and angiostrongyliasis
Viruses
Viruses are non-living organisms which can only reproduce in a living host cell. As a result, all
viruses are obligate parasites and all cause some sort of disease. Infectious hepatitis, polio,
influenza, smallpox, AIDS, and a variety of intestinal disturbances are all caused by viruses.

• Viruses can attack many different kinds of organisms ranging from bacteria through plants
and animals, though each type of virus is specific in its type of host. For example, a plant
virus will not attack an animal and a dog virus is unlikely to attack a human.
• Viruses are too small to be to be seen with a light microscope, so their presence is
usually recognized only by the harm they cause. They often enter water in animal feces
and are thus expected to be present in domestic wastes. In addition, viruses can often
survive for long periods of time in natural waters. Viruses are a public health concern in
water and wastewater treatment since many are not removed by conventional treatment
methods such as disinfection.
Viruses are very simple organisms consisting
primarily of genetic material (which can be either
DNA or RNA) enclosed within a protein coat called
a capsid. The genetic material can have a variety
of forms, being either double-stranded or single-
stranded and either circular or linear. The capsid
coat can have several shapes, including spherical
and icosahedral (20-sided), and may further be
surrounded by an envelope. The envelope is made
up of lipids and is usually imbedded with envelope
proteins which help the virus recognize its host
cell.
What are bacteria?

 Bacteria are single-celled, or simple, organisms that are invisible to the naked eye.

• Bacteria (Prokaryotes) are organisms which do not contain nuclei or membrane-bound

organelles. (Nuclei and organelles are both cell parts which we will define in a later
section.) All prokaryotes are unicellular, which means that each organism is made up of
only one cell.
• Morphologically, bacteria are microscopic single-celled organisms that are small in size
and lack membrane bound organelles. A majority of these organisms also have a cell wall
and capsule that protects the inner contents of the cell where the nucleoid, ribosome,
plasmid, and cytoplasm are found.

 Many bacteria are found both inside and outside of organisms, including humans. Bacteria
are also found on surfaces and in substances like water, soil, and food, making them key
players in the Earth’s ecosystems.
Bacterial Size
• In general, bacteria are between 0.2 and 2.0 um - the average size of most bacteria.
Research studies have shown their size to play an important role in survival over time.

• Due to their small size, bacteria are able to exploit and thrive in various microenvironments.
These include such environments as the vertical gradients in intertidal marine sediments in
which various types of bacteria have been found. Because various microorganisms are
absent in such environments, bacteria successfully exploit resources available and thrive in
such environments.

• The small size of bacteria is also beneficial for parasitism and oligotrophy. Bacteria can
continue relying on a range of hosts (large and small) for their nutrition. In addition, they
can also live and survive in environments that contain a low concentration of nutrients; for
instance, a group of bacteria known as oligotrophic bacteria.

• Bacteria have a high surface area to volume ratio that allows them to take up as many
nutrients as possible for survival. In the process, they are able to continue growing and
reproducing at a steady rate.
Bacterial Anatomy

Figure: The diagram above illustrates a typical bacterial cell.

• Inside the membrane, the cell is filled with a fluid known as cytoplasm.
• Floating in the cytoplasm are various organelles (subcellular structures with specific
functions.) Notice that the the DNA, which contains the genetic material of the cell, is floating
freely in a mass within the cell.
• In addition to the main mass of DNA, the bacterial cell contains plasmids, which are small loops
of DNA which can be transferred to other bacteria, or in some cases into other
organisms. Ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis.
• Outside the membrane, most bacteria are surrounded by two other layers. The first of these,
the cell wall, is a rigid layer made up of proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids. The cell wall gives
the bacterium a set shape.
• Outside the cell wall is the capsule, a gelatinous slime layer which allows the bacterium to attach
to surfaces and also protects the bacterium. In the treatment plant, bacterial capsules are
responsible for clumping the organisms into flocs, or aggregations, which can settle out of
water. In order for disinfecting agents such as chlorine to be effective, they must penetrate this
protective slime layer.
The bacterium can also have various appendages.
• Pili are hollow, hair-like structures which allow the bacterium to attach to other cells.
• Flagella are longer projections which can move and push the bacterium from place to place.
 Types of Bacteria
The following are the major categories of bacteria based on their shapes:

Cocci
Cocci bacteria appear spherical or oval in shape. For the most part, the shape is determined by the cell wall of the
organism and therefore varies from one type of cocci bacteria to another. Cocci bacteria may exist as single cells or
remain attached to each other.

Diplococci bacteria - Diplococci bacteria are the type of cocci bacteria that occur as a pair (two joined cells).
Some examples of Diplococci bacteria include:
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Enterococcus spp
Neisseria gonorrhea

Tetrad bacteria - Tetrad bacteria are arranged in groups of four cells. Following division, the cells remain attached and
grow in this attachment.
Common examples of Tetrad bacteria include: Pediococcus Tetragenococcus
Sarcinae sarcina/Bacteria - Sarcina bacteria occur in groups of 8 cells. Unlike tetrads that divide into two planes,
Sarcinae is produced through the perpendicular plane division.
Some of the characteristics associated with these bacteria include being strict anaerobes, Gram-positive bacteria and that
measure between 1.5 and 3.0 um.

Examples of Sarcinae bacteria include: Sarcina aurantiaca, Sarcina lutea, Sarcina ventriculi
Streptococci Bacteria- Streptococci bacteria are a type of bacteria that arrange in a chain form (resembling chains). A
majority of these bacterial cells are also ovoid in shape and may form paired chains.

As members of the family Streptococcaceae, this group of bacteria is characterized by being non-motile, Gram-positive
organisms. Examples of Streptococcus bacteria include: Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumonia, S. mutans

Staphylococci Bacteria- Staphylococci Bacteria are a type of bacteria that form grape-like clusters. This type of
arrangement is the result of division that occurs in two planes. Two of the main characteristics of these organisms are that
they are immobile, Gram-positive bacteria.
Examples of Staphylococci bacteria include:
•Staphylococcus epidermidis
•Staphylococcus haemolyticus
•Staphylococcus aureus
•Staphylococcus capitis
Bacilli (or bacillus for a single cell) are rod-shaped bacteria. Since the length of a cell varies under the
influence of age or environmental conditions, you should not use cell length as a method of classification for
bacillus bacteria. Like coccus bacteria, bacilli can occur singly, in pairs, or in chains.

Examples of bacillus bacteria include coliform bacteria, which are used as an indicator of wastewater
pollution in water, as well as the bacteria responsible for typhoid fever.

Bacillus Bacteria (Rod-Shaped)

Bacillus bacteria have the following traits:

• Rod-shaped
•Form endospores
•Facultative anaerobes
The following are the different types of bacillus arrangements:
Diplobacilli bacteria - Like Diplococci bacteria, Diplobacilli occur in pairs. Following cell division, the two cells do not separate a
continue existing as a pair.
Examples of Diplobacilli bacteria include: Coxiella burnetii, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis, Moraxella bovis
Streptobacilli - Streptobacilli bacteria occur as elongated chains. As such, they are the result of division on a single plane.

Common examples of Streptobacilli include:

•Streptobacillus moniliformis
•Streptobacillus Levaditi
•Streptobacillus felis
•Streptobacillus hongkongensis

Unlike cocci and bacilli bacteria, some types of bacteria appear curved when viewed under the microscope.
However, they vary in shape making it possible to differentiate them from each other.

These include:

Vibrio bacteria - Generally, vibrio bacteria are comma-shaped and thus not fully twisted (curved rods).
Examples of Vibrio bacteria include:

•Vibrio mytili
•Vibrio anguillarum
•Vibrio parahaemolyticus
•Vibrio cholerae
Spirochete - Spirochetes are characterized by a helical shape. Spirochetes are also flexible and
have been shown to produce mycelium. The movement involves the use of axial filaments,
which is one of the distinguishing features between the bacteria and other types of bacteria.

Examples of Spirochetes include: Leptospira, Spirochaeta, Treponema

Continued…..