Discuss the similarities and differences between organisms in the domains Bacteria and Archaea - Essay Example

Essay, Biology al Affiliation There are two types of microorganisms widely divided into Prokaryotes that include archaea and bacteria. But not all archaea and bacteria are prokaryotes. Therefore, there is need to explain the difference and similarities of the two. Below find the similarities and the differences between these microorganisms. First, archaea and bacteria contain the same size and shape they are found occurring in cocci, rods, spiral, coiled and plates. The cell structure of bacteria and archaea is the same only that their composition and structure organization differ in the case of archaea.

Bacteria and archaea do not have inner membranes but have a cell wall, therefore, uses flagella for movement and to swim. Archaea cell wall does not have a cell membrane and peptidoglycan and utilizes ether-linked lipids compared to an ester-linked lipids used by bacteria (Decker and Hinton, 2013). Archaea flagella developed from type IV pili bacterial while bacterial flagella advanced from type III secretion system. Bacterial flagellum is hollow and appears alike a stalk assembled by subunits that move up freely on the central pore causing a growth on the tip of flagella while, in archaea, flagella subunits grow at the base The reproduction of Archaea is asexual utilizing binary fission process, fragmentation and budding.

Bacterial reproduction is asexually through a process binary fission, fragmentation budding, but bacteria show a unique ability by forming spores that enable them remain dormant for many years, characteristics not displayed by Archaea. Growth of bacteria follows three phases, the lag phase where cells adaptation to the environment, log phase where exponential growth happens and stationary phase when depletion of nutrients occur (Szukics, Hackl,and Zechmeister, 2012). Archaea survives in places and environment of extreme and cruel conditions like springs, marshlands, salt lakes, oceans, ruminants gut, and humans.

Bacteria are everywhere and found in soil, radioactive waste, hot springs, organic matter, plants and animals bodies. These two microorganisms have a difference in biochemical and genetic ways (Mao, Yannarell, Davis, and Mackie 2013).ReferenceDecker, K. B., & Hinton, D. M. (2013). Transcription regulation at the core: similarities among bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Annual review of microbiology, 67, 113-139.Szukics, U., Hackl, E., Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S., & Sessitsch, A. (2012). Rapid and dissimilar response of ammonia oxidizing archaea and bacteria to nitrogen and water amendment in two temperate forest soils.

 Microbiological research, 167(2), 103-109.Mao, Y., Yannarell, A. C., Davis, S. C., & Mackie, R. I. (2013). Impact of different bioenergy crops on N‐cycling bacterial and archaeal communities in soil. Environmental microbiology, 15(3), 928-942.