Bacteria
Chapter 7-2
I. The Bacterial Cell
1. Bacteria are classified as prokaryotes. The genetic material in their cells is not
contained in a nucleus.
2. List three characteristics of living things that bacteria possess.
a. reproduce
b. use energy
c. cellular organization
3. What cell structure helps a bacterium move? flagellum
4. Draw the bacterial cell diagram found on pg. 218 of your textbook. Be sure to
label the following:
a—flagellum
b—genetic material
c—ribosomes
d—cell membrane
e—cell wall
5. If a bacterium does not have a flagellum, how does it typically move? carried
by air, water, objects, or organisms
6. List the three shapes of a bacterial cell.
a. spherical
b. rod-like
c. spiral
7. What determines the shape of a bacterial cell? the make up of the cell wall
II. Obtaining Food and Energy
8. List the two ways in which autotrophic bacteria make food.
a. capture and use the sun’s energy
b. use energy from chemical substances in their environment
9. How do heterotrophic bacteria get food? They consume other organisms or
the food that other organisms make.
10. Complete the table below about reproduction in bacteria.
Name of Process
Number of Parents
What Occurs in Process
Result of Process
Asexual Reproduction
binary fission
1
genetic material
duplicates---then the cell
divides
2 cells with a complete
copy of the parent cell’s
genetic material
III. The Role of Bacteria in Nature
11. List three roles bacteria play in nature.
a. oxygen
b. environmental clean up
c. medicine production
Sexual Reproduction
conjugation
2
transfer of genetic
material from one
bacterium to another
through a thread-like
bridge
Does not produce more
bacteria---It does
produce bacteria with
NEW genetic material