Kingdom Monera

Introduction to the Kingdom Monera. Main characteristics, classification and different types of bacteria. Translation revision by Steven T. Gosch.

1. Pablo León Cruz www.biogeosfera.es
KINGDOM MONERA

2. The monera
Maincharacteristicsofmonera
Theyarecommonlycalledbacteria.
Theyareprokaryoticorganisms:thegeneticmaterialisdispersedinthe
cytoplasm.
Theyareunicellularbeingsofverysmallsize:3to5µm.
Theycanliveanywhereontheplanet,astheycanwithstandany
temperature,pressureorhumidity.

3. The monera
Maincharacteristicsofmonera
Nutrition:Althoughtherearesomeautotrophicbacteriasuchas
cyanobacteria,theyaregenerallyheterotrophicorganisms.Becausethey
consumeorganicmatter,theycanbeclassifiedinto:
Saprophytes:Obtainnutrientsfromdecomposingorganicmatter.
Parasites:Obtainnutrientsfromotherlivingbeings,whichthey
parasitizeandcausedamage.
Symbiotes:Obtainnutrientsfromotherlivingbeingsinanassociation
thatproducesamutualbenefit.
Interaction:Free-livingorganismsthatsometimesformcolonies.
Reproduction:Mostreproduceasexuallybybipartition.

4. The monera
Maintypesofbacteria
Bacteriaareclassifiedaccordingtotheirexternalform.
Cocci:Sphericalshape.
Diplococci:Cocciingroupsoftwo.
Tetracocci:Cocciingroupsoffour.
Streptococci:Coccithatformchains.
Staphylococci:Cocciinirregularclusters.
Bacilli:Cylindricalshapewithroundedends.
Vibrios:Comma-likeshapewithonewiderend.
Spirils:Helicalshape.
Cocci Bacilli Spirils Vibrios

5. Partsof a bacterium

6. Importanceof monera
Moneraareimportantforthefollowingreasons
Thephotosyntheticbacteriathatinhabitedtheoceansinthepastreleased
largeamountsofoxygen,makingitthemostabundantgasintheatmosphere
andthusallowingforterrestriallife.
Bacteriaarewithinthegroupofdecomposingorganismsinecosystems,
whichtransformdeadorganicmatterintosimplersubstancesthatcanbe
usedbyplants.
Withintheintestinearetheintestinalflora,asetofbacteriathathelpthe
degradationoffoodandtheabsorptionofnutrients.
Certainbacteriaareusedinindustrytomanufacturefoodssuchasyogurtand
cheese,createmedicinesorextractmetalsinmines.
Bacteriaareimportantinwastewatertreatmentplants(WWTP,where
wastewateristreatedtoproducecleanwater),wheretheybreakdown
organicwastepresentinthewater.
Pathogenicbacteriacapableofproducingdiseasessuchassalmonellosis,
tetanusandmeningitisiftheyareintroducedintolivingbeings.

7. Moneras and antibiotics
The problem of bacteria and antibiotics
Itiscommontohearthatbacteriaarebecomingmoreresistanttothe
antibioticsweuseagainstthemandmanyantibioticsarelosingtheir
effectiveness.
Thecauseofthisgreaterresistanceisduetothemisuseofthemedications,
suchasusingthemincasesofmildinfectionoragainstdiseasescausedby
viruses,againstwhichtheantibiotichasnoeffect.Whentakingantibioticsin
casesofmildinfection,somebacteriadiebutthemostresistantonesremain.
Thosewhichhavenotbeenaffectedbytheantibioticcanspreadthroughthe
restofthepopulation,causingantibioticstoneedtobecomeincreasingly
sophisticatedtofightagainsttheseresistantbacteria.
Theonlysolutiontoavoidincreasingtheresistanceofbacteriatoantibiotics
areextremehygienicmeasuresanddecreasingtheuseofantibiotics,using
themonlywhenabsolutelynecessary.
Adaptedandtranslatedfrom:https://biologia-geologia.com/BG1/731_moneras.html