Archaea and Bacteria

We have been introduced to two types of microorganisms, Prokaryotes, and Eukaryotes. Bacteria and archaea fall into the category of prokaryotes. 

Bacteria

Bacteria are minute, single-celled creatures that may be found in large numbers in all environments, both within and outside of other species. Some bacteria are hazardous, but the majority are beneficial. They are utilised in industrial and therapeutic activities, and they support many types of life, both plant and animal.

Archaea

Sequence study of highly conserved macromolecules indicated Archaea as one of three major lineages of current cellular life. Archaea have some traits of bacteria, some characteristics of eukaryotes, and some properties that are unique to them, which is consistent with their status as a third form of life. 

Though bacteria and archaea fall into the same category of living microorganisms, they differ on many grounds from their existence to their habitat. We cannot see them through the naked eye, of course. 

Bacteria and Archaea: Differences

• Ribosomal RNAs

Just like eukaryotes, archaea have three different types of Ribonucleic Acids whereas Bacteria consist of a single rRNA. Bacteria have a unique type of RNA named transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA). This particular genetic material is transferred to the offspring of bacteria through the asexual reproduction system of bacteria. 

• Cell Walls and Membranes

The cell walls of archaea consist of less peptidoglycan and bacteria have cell membranes with fatty acids. There are lipids in the cell membranes of archaea that contain ether linkages built from phytanyl chains. Bacteria cells are made up of peptidoglycan which is useful in keeping the cells protected from harmful chemicals. Archaea have their cell walls composed of pseudo peptidoglycans.

• Genetic Differences

After various research and development, it’s been established that archaea are also living organisms. They are given the name of a distinct domain of life as we call them extremophiles due to their capability of living in extreme environments. However, bacteria can be found anywhere like our skin.

• Biological differences 

Bacteria are used in medicine formation. They are useful in some cases for our survival too. Depending on the staining techniques used in the laboratory, the differentiation of bacteria is of two types- gram-positive and gram-negative. Archaea have their reproduction through the systems of mitosis and meiosis. The reproduction system consists of the types like budding, fragmentation, and fission. 

• Photosynthesis 

Archaea don’t have the capability of engaging in photosynthesis though they can use sunlight as a source of their energy. Whereas bacteria contain photosynthetic pigments which help them to produce their food.

• Chromosomes

There are introns in the chromosomes of archaea but bacteria don’t have them.

• Pathogenicity 

Bacteria can be pathogenic or non-pathogenic. Archaea are only non-pathogenic.

• Differences in Groups 

Depending upon the gram staining, shape, etc bacteria are defined. Archaea are differentiated with the help of their characteristics such as Methagones, Thermophiles, and Halophiles. Archaea are called methagones because they produce methane as their by-product, thermophiles because they can survive at temperatures like extremely cold to extremely hot (41 degrees to 122 degrees celsius), halophiles because they need salt as an essential item to live. 

Conclusion

At the very first stage of the discovery, archaea were defined as bacteria but after several evolutionary and biological findings came out, they do not fall into the same classification of microbiology. Both the archaea and bacteria have some similarities also like their reaction to the human body or human cells. Since 1977, it’s been in the studies that some of the archaea are still misclassified as bacteria. Both of these two microorganisms are the oldest of all living cells present though all of the usefulness or harmfulness is still not on the lookout of biological advancement.