Bacteria are prokaryotic microscopic organisms and they are unicellular organisms. Besides having very small structure that is composed of just one cell, bacteria have very clear effect on large living organisms like plants, animals and human beings. This effect could be of useful as well as harmful for these living organisms, depends upon the type of bacteria. Some bacteria are not only harmless, but really very useful for human beings. However, some bacteria become the cause of severe diseases. This interesting behavior of bacteria is further highlighted in following lines.
1. Unicellular organisms
All bacteria are composed of just one cell and that’s why, they are called unicellular organisms. However, they have ability to divide themselves into two cells, forming two distinct bacteria.
2. Most ancient living organisms
Bacteria are claimed as the first living organisms on the earth and scientists have estimated their existence on earth from 2 billion years ago.
3. Discovery of bacteria
Bacteria were discovered in 17th century by a scientist Antony Van Leeuwenhoek. Later on, the research work in medicine and fermentation processes was appeared as an applied science field especially on bacteria that is called as bacteriology.
4. Size and shape
Bacteria are present in different shapes like a sphere, rod or spiral. Moreover, one bacterium can alter its shape from one form to another. The size of bacteria is usually 1000 nanometers.
5. Useful for plants and animals
Some bacteria are very useful for both plants and animals. For plants, bacteria help to get nitrogen from soil and in case of human beings, bacteria helps in food digestion.
6. Other Uses of bacteria
Bacteria are not only useful for living organisms, but also a source of making yoghurt and cheese. Moreover bacteria also serve nature in terms of cleaning water and oil spills.
7. Harmful effects of bacteria
Some bacteria are harmful for human beings and can cause sickness and diarrhea. In case of keeping cooked food open for several hours, bacteria can poison it and become a cause of food poisoning.
8. Antibiotic – A treatment of bacterial diseases
In case of suffering from any bacterial disease, use of antibiotic is the remedial solution. However, unnecessary use of antibiotic could be dangerous for human being as well.
Some bacteria like autotrophic make their food themselves by the process of chemosynthesis or photosynthesis in contrast to heterotrophic that survive on dead organic matter.
Parent bacteria make identical daughter cells by dividing themselves. However, some bacteria adopt budding or fragmentation process to produce their daughter cells.