The unicellular, rod-shaped bacterium E. coli is~2 μm long and 0.8 μm wide, and has a genomeconsisting of a single 4.6 Mb circular DNA molecule. The unicellular archaean Methanosarcinaacetivorans is spherical (coccus-shaped) with adiameter of 3 μm and has a 5.7 Mb circular genome.The unicellular eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiaeis roughly spherical, with a diameter of 5–10 μm.It has a haploid genome of 12 Mb divided among16 linear chromosomes. Given these descriptions,how could you determine whether a new, uncharacterized microorganism was a bacterium, an archaean,or a eukaryote?
Bacterial Genomics
The study of the morphological, physiological, and evolutionary aspects of the bacterial genome is referred to as bacterial genomics. This subdisciplinary field aids in understanding how genes are assembled into genomes. Further, bacterial or microbial genomics has helped researchers in understanding the pathogenicity of bacteria and other microbes.
Transformation Experiment in Bacteria
In the discovery of genetic material, the experiment conducted by Frederick Griffith on Streptococcus pneumonia proved to be a stepping stone.
Plasmids and Vectors
The DNA molecule that exists in a circular shape and is smaller in size which is capable of its replication is called Plasmids. In other words, it is called extra-chromosomal plasmid DNA. Vectors are the molecule which is capable of carrying genetic material which can be transferred into another cell and further carry out replication and expression. Plasmids can act as vectors.
The unicellular, rod-shaped bacterium E. coli is
~2 μm long and 0.8 μm wide, and has a genome
consisting of a single 4.6 Mb circular DNA molecule. The unicellular archaean Methanosarcina
acetivorans is spherical (coccus-shaped) with a
diameter of 3 μm and has a 5.7 Mb circular genome.
The unicellular eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is roughly spherical, with a diameter of 5–10 μm.
It has a haploid genome of 12 Mb divided among
16 linear chromosomes. Given these descriptions,
how could you determine whether a new, uncharacterized microorganism was a bacterium, an archaean,
or a eukaryote?
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps
