Science WebQuests
Bacteria WebQuest
Use the information below to begin your Bacteria Webquest. When you are done with this page, use the navigation buttons at the bottom to navigate to the other pages!
Bacteria Structure and Function
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Capsule - Outer covering that protects the cell when it is engulfed by other organisms, assists in retaining moisture.
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Cell Wall - Covering that protects the bacterial cell and gives it shape.
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Cell Membrane or Plasma Membrane - Surrounds the cell's cytoplasm and regulates the flow of substances in and out of the cell.
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Cytoplasm - Gel-like substance composed mainly of water that contains enzymes, salts, cell components, and organic molecules.
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Ribosomes -Cell structures responsible for protein production.
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Plasmids - Gene carrying, circular DNA structures that are not involved in reproduction.
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Pili - Hair-like structures on the surface that attach to other bacterial cells. Shorter pili (fimbriae) help bacteria attach to surfaces.
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Nucleiod - Area of the cytoplasm that contains the single bacterial DNA molecule
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Flagella - Long, whip-like protrusion that aids in cellular locomotion.
Bacteria
“Bacteria” is a plural word. The singular for this word is “bacterium” (bacter = rod, staff). All bacteria are prokaryotes (Kingdom Monera), which means that they have no true nucleus. They do have one chromosome of double-stranded DNA in a ring. They reproduce by binary fission.
Many bacteria lack or have very few internal membranes, which means that they don’t have some kinds of organelles (like mitochondria or chloroplasts).
Most bacteria are benign (benign = good, friendly, kind) or beneficial, and only a few are “bad guys” or pathogens.