What Are Bacteria?

Bacteria (singular: Bacterium) are...

1) a single celled prokaryotic organism.

2) are most widely distributed organisms.

3) a unicellular micro-organism.

4) can be harmful or beneficial to living organisms.

5) from 1 um to 10 um in length and from 0.2 um to 1 um in width.

6) can observed under a light microscope.

7) there are 4 types of bacteria; Cocci (sing. Coccus) it is rounded, Bacilli (sing. Bacillus) it is rod-like, Spirilla (sing. Spirillum) it is spiral shaped, and Vibrios (sing. Vibrio) it is comma-shaped.

8) Bacteria are found both singly and in colonies.

9) some bacteria can manufacture their own food (autotrophic bacteria)

10) a majority of bacteria are unable to make their own food so they obtain it from other living organisms and their dead bodies (heterotrphic bacteria)

11) needs food, water and and suitable temperature for their growth.

12) like viruses are transferred from one living organism to another through different agencies like droplets, touch, contaminated water and food, insects and other animals.

The term bacteria would typically refer to the major group of what is known as prokaryotic living organisms. However the term may also be used to refer to Bacteriidae, which is a family of stick insects belonging to South America. It could also refer to Bacteria or Rabbit Programs, which is essentially a type of malevolent software or malware.

Bacteria (the singular form would be bacterium) refer to unicellular micro organisms. It is fascinating to note that they are characteristically just a few micrometers long. They have various shapes which would include spherical shapes, rods, and even spirals.

Their endurance is also impressive as bacteria can be found in all habitats on Earth, from radioactive wastes to seawater to acidic hot springs to places which are deep down in the our planet's crust. It has been noted that some bacteria has been known to survive in the tremendous cold and vacuum you find in outer space.

Bacteria are mostly widely distributed organisms. These are unicellular micro-organisms. Becteria are found every where; in air, in water, on the bodies of living and dead organisms and in the glaciers and hot springs. Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria for the first time. Later Louis Pasture and Robert Koch worked on them. This was a milestone in the history of biology and medicine. They discovered that bacteria produces many diseases in man and animals. Bacteria ranges from 0.2um to 1um in width and can be observed under light microscope. On bases of shape and form bacteria are of four types. These types are given below:
(1) Rounded = Cocci
(2) Rod Like = Bacilli
(3) Spiral Shaped = Spirilla
(4) Comma Shaped = Vibrious
Bacteria are found both singly and in colonies. Cocci bacteria may occur in groups of two or four or in irregular groups and even in the form of long beds. Bacilli are found singly or may join end to end to form long threads. Spirilla and Vibrios however occur singly. One bacteria divides into two in twenty minutes. Three thousand million bacteria are present in one millilitre of fresh milk and two and half million bacteria are present in one gram of fertile soil. Genetic engineering is the Scientific method in which DNA of bacteria and other living organisms are manipulated for the benefit of mankind for example for production of better crops, in medicines and in organic materials. Bacteria are harmful as well as very useful for human being. Where they produce many diseases in man and other animals there they help human in various ways.