Bacteria 2

Describe the structure and life processes of bacteria. Bacterial cells, like plant cells, are surrounded by a cell wall. However, bacterial cell walls are made up of polysaccharide chains linked to amino acids, while plant cell walls are made up of cellulose, which contains no amino acids. Many bacteria secrete a slimy capsule around the outside of the cell wall. The capsule provides additional protection for the cell. Many of the bacteria that cause diseases …

…always slows because the food supply becomes used up and waste products accumulate. There are four parts to the way bacteria reproduce. The first phase is called the lag phase- the bacteria are adjusting to their environment and growth is slow. In the exponential phase- the bacteria are dividing very rapidly. The station phase- the reproductive rate equals the death rate. In the death phase- the bacteria are dying off faster than they are reproducing.