Kingdom: Monera

General characteristics Prokaryotic (no nucleus or membrane bound

organelles) Most are unicellular (some live in colonies) Nobody seems to be able to agree on how

they should be grouped!! (eek)

Phylum: Schizophyta

• Largest group, contains common bacteria and Eubacteria

• Most are heterotrophs (take in food)

• Some are autotrophs (make their own food)

• Basic shapes:

– Bacilli: rod shaped

– Spirilli: spiral or double helix

– Cocci: circular

– Long chains called streptococci

Phylum: Cyanophyta• The “Blue- green” algae

• Actually contains many pigments. Colours can range from blue to red to black

• Contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis

• Are found in hotsprings, polluted water, swimming pools (make rocks and pool walls very slick)

Phylum: Prochlorophyta

• Photosynthetic microbes which live in marine organisms

Phylum: Archaebacteria

• Methanogens: bogs, swamps, sewage plants

• Halophiles: high salt areas (the dead sea)

• Thermophiles: likes acidic/hot (hot springs)

Nutrition: how monera “eat”

• Heterotrophs: get food from others

– Parasites get their food from living organisms without killing the host

– Saprophytes get their food from the dead (bacteria which break down corpses or old trees)

• Autotrophs: make their own food

– Photosynthesis: change light energy into chemical energy

CO2 + H

2O + sunlight --> glucose + O

2

– Chemosynthesis: energy from chemicals

CO2 + H

2S --> (CH

2O)

n + H

2O + S

Obtaining energy/respiration• Respiration

– Humans and animals have to breathe to obtain O

2 for respiration

– The purpose of respiration is to release energy from food so we can function

– Organisms which require oxygen for respiration are called aerobes

Glucose + O2 --> CO

2 + H

2O + energy

• Fermentation

– Not all monerans require oxygen to release energy from food

– These organisms go through fermentation

– Less energy from fermentation than respiration

glucose --> C2H

5OH + CO

2 + energy

• Obligate anaerobes: need an environment without O

2 to live

• Facultative anaerobes: can survive with or without O

2. (ex: E.coli in digestive tract)

Reproduction• Asexual: binary fission

– DNA doubles

– Cell splits in two (clones)

– Important for increasing numbers

• Sexual: conjugation

– Cell to cell contact with a “cytoplasm bridge”

– Small rings or genetic material (plasmids) are transferred from donor to recipient

– Allows for variation in bacteria

Effects of Bacteria• Harmful

– Disease (bubonic plague, strep throat)

– Food spoilage

• Helpful

– Digestion

– Making yogurt and cheese

– Toxic/poison eating microbes (oil spills)

– Recycling plants/animals in the environment