Vedantu's Notes for Difference Between Bacteria and Fungi
Microbes are an integral part of every ecosystem. Primarily there are seven kinds of microbes living on the earth. They differ from each other in their cellular composition, modes of locomotion, morphology, and other aspects. Please note, these various aspects of bacteria and fungi are a crucial topic for your NEET.
Bacteria, viruses, and fungi are examples of microbes that live in soil, water, air, and almost everywhere. While some microbes are harmful, others are beneficial and eco-friendly. The diversity of microbes is responsible for retaining the diversity of the ecosystem they thrive in.
Bacteria and fungi are the two of the most significant organisms that play a crucial role in daily life. These two belong to different branches of microbes and show distinct characteristics.
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Details Related to Bacteria
Bacteria are microscopic prokaryotic organisms. They are believed to be the first living organism on the earth emerging around 3.5 billion years ago. Bacteria are primarily found in three shapes which are spiral, rod-shaped, and spherical. They are divided into Aerobes and Anaerobes. They are either heterotrophs (depending on the host for food) or autotrophs (prepares their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis). They exist in millions in number. There are about 30,000 formally named species of bacteria known till now.
They breed asexually by conjugation or binary fission method. Most bacteria are harmless, and they help in several activities. For example, they can trap nitrogen for plants, help in fermentation processes in making curd, cheese, yogurt, etc. however, some of them are responsible for illnesses like tuberculosis, cholera, etc.
Components of Bacteria
Below listed are the various components of bacteria.
Glycocalyx
Pilus
Nucleoid
Mesosome
Flagellum
Cell wall
Cell membrane
Fimbriae
Granules/inclusion
Ribosome
Endospore
Uses of Bacteria:
Food processing: In the process of fermentation, bacteria are used in the production of 'bread'.
Biotechnology: bacterias are useful in the production of various supplements and pharmaceutical drugs.
Fibre retting: In the process of retting, bacteria are used to separate fibres of jute, hemp, and flax.
Pest control: Bacteria like Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), Dipel, and Thuricide are used as biological pest control. These bacteria act as very good environmentally friendly pest controls. Hence, they are efficient.
Digestion: Bacteria present in the guts of cattle and other animals act as digestive substances. They help to digest cellulose by secreting the enzyme cellulase.
Tanning of leather: Bacteria helps purify animal hides to make them easy, clean, and fit to use.
Medicines: Bacteria are used in the production of multiple antibiotics such as Streptomycin, Gramicidin, etc.
Research and model work
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Details About Fungi
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms whose existence can be traced back to 900 million years ago. They are either unicellular or multicellular. They are divided into Aerobes and Anaerobes. Fungi are heterotrophs, which means they feed on dead and decaying substances. For this reason, they are called saprophytes. According to a survey in 2017, there may be between 2.2 and 3.8 million species of fungi present on earth.
Fungi remain inside the thread-like structure, namely hyphae. Later on, this hyphal structure matures and forms mycelium. They breed sexually and also asexually through spores formation, branch, budding, and fragmentation.
This microbe is widely used to make antibiotics. Some of them are also utilized in baking bread and other edibles. However, also note some fungi are harmful and cause diseases in plants and animals. You must have seen some blackish-green growth on the bread sometimes. That results from a fungus attack that is responsible for spoiling food.
Components of Fungi
A few characteristics of fungi are mentioned below.
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Mitochondria
Golgi bodies
Lysosome and peroxisomes
Cell wall
Cytoplasmic membrane
Ribosome
Endoplasmic reticulum
Uses of Fungi
Usage in food: Fungi like 'yeast' is used in making 'bread' and brewing alcoholic beverages. Mushrooms are being consumed by humans on a large scale, which is a type of fungi. For fermenting a wide variety of foods like soy sauce, tempeh, and fungi are used. Also, 'cheese' is made by processing fungi and has a major consumption value. Blue cheese has its distinctive appearance and flavour because of the fungus growing through it.
Pest control: Pathogenic bacteria, insects, and pests are killed and controlled using harmless fungi to make the crop healthy. Therefore, fungi reduce the need for toxic chemicals and artificial pesticides.
Fungi is a good source of Vitamin C (citric acid)
Fungi are used to produce antibiotics such as penicillin, which has saved countless lives till now.
They promote the production of insulin and other hormones in the human body.
They are good for research work and scientific studies.
The following table elucidates the key differences between bacteria and fungi.
A Comparative Study Between Bacteria and Fungi:
Few More Points of Difference between Bacteria and Fungi:
Bacteria do not contain membrane-bound organelles but fungi contain membrane-bound organelles.
Bacteria contain 70S ribosomes but Fungi Contain 80S ribosomes.
Fungi are Immobile organisms (they do not move) but some bacteria use flagella to move.
Fungi can be seen by human eyes too (fungi such as yeast and mushroom) but bacteria can only be seen by a microscope.
Significance of Bacteria and Fungi
Fungi bacteria aid in balancing ecological diversity.
Being saprophytes, fungi decompose natural substances and provide nutrients to the soil.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria supply adequate nitrogen in plants.
Fungi and bacteria are widely used in the food processing industry and manufacturing medicines.
As both of them exist on earth’s surface for a long period of time, they carry several shreds and evidence of evolution.
State True/False
1. Fungi store food material in the form of glycogen.
2. The shape of coccus bacteria is generally rod-like.
3. Everyone has the same microbes.
4. Fungi get nutrition from plants, food, and the environment.
Answers: 1-True, 2-False. 3. False 4. True.
Did You Know?
There is a fungus called honey mushroom that is regarded as the largest living organism in the world. It ages about 2400 years and stretches over almost 2000 acres!
Deinococcus radiodurans is a bacterium that can withstand radiation and is often called the superhero of the bacteria world!
FAQs on Difference Between Bacteria and Fungi
1. What are the similarities between bacteria and fungi?
Though they are two different organisms, they share some common characteristics. For example, both of them contain DNA as genetic material. Consequently, both bacteria and fungi are responsible for causing several diseases too.
More similarities between Bacteria and fungi:
Both need Need warmth, moisture, and nutrients.
They both can be harmful or Useful at times. Some types of bacteria and fungi can cause serious or even deadly health problems.
Both are living organisms that can multiply as well.
Both of them have cell walls.
They both are unicellular.
2. Which fungi can kill bacteria?
There are a few fungi that can kill harmful bacteria. For example, Acremonium chrysogenum and Penicillium chrysogenum are used to produce antibiotics that kill gram-positive bacteria by damaging their cell walls. Also, the fungus 'Trichophyton rubrum' is grown in the lab after 10 days of processing has killed 'Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria'. A subtype of this fungi halts the synthesis of proteins in bacteria and stops the growth of bacteria. Many other fungi have proved to be a good source of antibiotics in the past.
3. What are examples of good bacteria?
Good bacteria are the organisms that help our bodies to digest food and absorb nutrients, and they produce several vitamins. They are also called 'probiotics'. They help in curing diarrhoea, bellyache, and many other diseases. A few examples of good bacteria are lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, E.Coli, Clostridium, etc. Some bacteria are very beneficial for the soil. For example, Azospirillum, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas increase the fertility of the soil and promote the growth of plants in that soil.
4. Which food has anti-fungal properties?
Surprisingly some food items have natural anti-fungal properties. These foods control the growth of fungi and avoid the growth of harmful fungi. This list includes garlic, tomatoes, and rutabaga, aloe vera, oregano oil, turmeric, etc. Also, Coconut Oil is a very good antifungal property-rich food. A traditional spicy fermented cabbage dish called 'kimchi' and 'Apple cider vinegar also contains anti-fungal properties. A few more examples of antifungal food are Lemon, limes, berries. Sometimes, antifungal food proves to be life-saving food.
5. How do bacteria and fungi work together in the human body?
Bacteria and fungi can interact in various forms. The physical interaction i.e, 'direct cell to cell interaction' through the secretion of small molecules that are often involved in quorum sensing. This can also occur due to Ph change or use of metabolic by-products and alterations in host responses. Therefore, while going through a disease or in a healthy state, the human body contains a wide range of bacterias and fungi that work together. An imbalance between bacteria and fungi can lead to disease in the human body, whereas the balanced amount of bacteria and fungi contribute to the proper functioning of the human body.
