Todays Lecture - Bacteria & Archaea: Similarities and differences Metabolic diversity Ecological impact - Fungi: General characteristics

Structure Feeding Ecological roles

BACTERIA AND ARCHAEA

Bacteria Vs. Archaea Phylogeny - 2 major prokaryote branches: Bacteria Archaea

- First lineage to diverge = bacteria - Archaea and eukaryotes more closely related.

What Do They Have In Common? * Structurally simple - Virtually all unicellular. - Small. - All prokaryotic: 1. 2. 3. *

How Do They Differ? * Fundamentally different in molecular structure and genetic machinery. - External cell wall bacteria ! unique polysaccharide peptidoglycan - Plasma membrane archaea ! unique phospholipid (includes isoprene) - DNA archaea ! associated w/histones (like eukaryotes) - DNA/RNA polymerases, ribosomes etc. distinct in bacteria

Metabolic Diversity * Masters of Metabolism! - Metabolic diversity prokaryotes > all eukaryotes. - Can use almost anything as source of energy and C. - Nearly all metabolic pathways originated in prokaryotes ! evolved variations.

Sources of Energy And Carbon - 3 sources energy for ATP production. - 2 sources carbon for synthesis of organic molecules. ! 6 general methods for obtaining ATP and carbon Source of Energy sunlight organic inorganic molecules molecules Source of C atoms simple molecules molecules from other organisms

Where do plants, fungi and animals fit on this table?

! Explains ecological range; some extremophiles

Ecological Impact Of Bacteria 1. Recycling Of Chemical Elements In Ecosystems a) Decomposers - Break down large molecules in corpses and waste. b) Nitrogen Fixation - Converts atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into NH4+ ! form organisms (plants, algae) can use. - Only certain prokaryotes possess enzyme. - Free-living or in root nodules.

2. Primary Production - Photosynthetic and chemosynthetic bacteria make organic compounds (food) ! support food chains. 3. Mutualistic Relationships Ex. Cellulose breakdown in ruminants 4. Historic Oxygen Revolution - Cyanobacteria put all oxygen in atmosphere ~2.5 billion years ago. - Allowed aerobic respiration.

EUKARYOTES

Whos Included In Eukarya? - Largest, most morphologically complex organisms. - Plants, fungi, animals = subgroups within Eukarya.

The Eukaryotic Cell Essence = large, compartmentalized cell. Membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles. How are all these membranes useful?

FUNGI

General Characteristics - Eukaryotic (chitin cell wall) - Mostly large and multicellular - Non-motile * External heterotrophs - Filamentous bodies Habitat - Mostly terrestrial. Anywhere organic material & moisture available.

Structure - 2 Growth forms: 1. Multicellular filamentous mass = mycelium 2. Single-celled yeasts

- Note: Mushrooms are specialized reproductive structures.

- Individual very thin filaments = hyphae - Divided by septa. Incomplete - cytoplasm & organelles flow freely.

Feeding - Secrete digestive enzymes outside body at tips of hyphae then absorb nutrients. - Mycelium grows toward food. Dies back + release spores when food low. Adaptations 1. high surface area:volume - efficient absorption 2. grows under/in food tissue

How does high surface area explain habitat of fungi?

Ecological Roles 1. Decomposition - Saprophytic fungi = major decomposer in biosphere. - Digest almost any organic substance. * Digest wood (lignin + cellulose) completely! - Speed up carbon cycle; C atoms locked in dead trees etc. released for re-use.

2. Mycorrhizae Mutualistic association between fungus and plant. Fungi grow on or in plants roots. Extremely common (~90% of land plants). Fungus gains carbs; plant gains nutrients (P, N).

* Without mycorrhizae, host plants grow much more slowly or starve.

3. Parasitism - Parasitic fungi cause death and disease among plants and animals. Ex. Athletes foot, ringworm, thrush, diaper rash, yeast infections, Dutch elm disease, chestnut blight, crop diseases