in composition and thickness among different bacteria. It could be a loose sheath called the slime layer in some, while in others it may be thick and tough, called the capsule . The cell wall determines the shape of the cell and provides a strong structural support to prevent the bacterium from bursting or collapsing. The plasma membrane is selectively permeable in nature and interacts with the outside world.
This membrane is similar structurally to that of the eukaryotes. A special membranous structure is the mesosome which is formed by the extensions of plasma membrane into the cell. These extensions are in the form of vesicles, tubules and lamellae . They help in cell wall Typical bacteria ( - m) PPLO (about .
m) Viruses ( . - . m) A typical eukaryotic cell ( - m) Figure . Diagram showing comparison of eukaryotic cell with other organisms formation, DNA replication and distribution to daughter cells.
They also help in respiration, secretion processes, to increase the surface area of the plasma membrane and enzymatic content. In some prokaryotes like cyanobacteria, there are other membranous extensions into the cytoplasm called chromatophores which contain pigments. Bacterial cells may be motile or non-motile. If motile, they have thin filamentous extensions from their cell wall called flagella.
Bacteria show a range in the number and arrangement of flagella. Bacterial flagellum is composed of three parts – filament, hook and basal body . The filament is the longest portion and extends from the cell surface to the outside. Besides flagella, Pili and Fimbriae are also surface structures of the bacteria but do not play a role in motility.
The pili are elongated tubular structures made of a special protein. The fimbriae are small bristle like fibres sprouting out of the cell. In some bacteria, they are known to help attach the bacteria to rocks in streams and also to the host tissues. .
. Ribosomes and Inclusion Bodies In prokaryotes, ribosomes are associated with the plasma membrane of the cell. They are about nm by nm in size and are made of two subunits - 50S and 30S