Chapter 16

Origin and Evolution of Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists

Figure 16.1 Bacteria on a pin point
Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago
Early atmosphere: CO, CO2, N2, H2O, CH4, NH3
Very different from atmosphere today
Lightening, volcanic activity, UV- much more
intense
Prokaryotes- fossils date 3.5bil yrs ago
Prevalent in mats
Photosynthesis produces O2 in atmosphere
Organic chemicals- 3.9bil yrs ago- possibly from
energized inorganic material (from UV or
lightening)






Animals
Land plants
Ceno-
zoic
Humans
Origin of solar
system and
Earth
Proterozoic
eon
Archaean
eon
Prokaryotes
Atmospheric
oxygen
Single-celled
eukaryotes
Multicellular
eukaryotes
Billions of years ago
1 4
2 3
Cocci Bacilli Spirochete
Figure 16.2B Gram-positive (purple) and gram-negative (pink) bacteria
Hypotheses of lifes origin
1- spontaneous generation- didnt explain how life arose in the
first place (Pasteur- maggots on meat)
2- comets and meteorites brought organic compounds to Earth
3- (broken up into stages) 1
st
- synthesis of organic molecules.
2
nd
- formation of polymers from organic molecules
3
rd
- polymers replicate (primitive heredity). 4
th
- polymers aggregate
having different characteristics
Heterotroph Hypothesis- conditions of primitive Earth produced
organic substances (which could then give rise to organisms)
These organisms absorbed organic nutrients
Miller and Urey experiment produced amino acids
Now disproved due to change in primitive atmosphere
Now, underwater volcanoes and vents may have provided
chemical resources
Water vapor
Atmosphere
Electrode
Condenser
CH
4

Cold
water
Cooled water
containing
organic
molecules
H
2
O
Sea
Sample for
chemical analysis
Monomers Formation of short RNA
polymers: simple genes
G
G
C
C
U
U U
A
A
G G C U U U
C
U
U
Assembly of a
complementary RNA
chain, the first step in
replication of the
original gene

A C G U U
G

Stages in chemical evolution
Organic molecules polymerized on hot rocks/clay
Due to binding sites and metals that clay contained
1
st
genetic material was RNA
Replicated itself w/o assistance
Ribozymes- RNA that acts as enzyme, aids in splicing and
polymerization
RNA World- hypothetical period or evolution when RNA
served as genes and catalyst molecule
RNA could translate into protein (w/o ribosomes or
tRNA)Protein produced helped RNA replicate
Lipid/protein spheres held RNA/polypeptide co-ops
Co-ops grew and replicated
Evolved a single metabolism

Self-replication of RNA
Self-replicating RNA acts as
template on which poly-
peptide forms.
Polypeptide acts as primitive
enzyme that aids RNA
replication.
Polypeptide
RNA

Membrane
Polypeptide
RNA

Prokaryotes- bacteria

Smaller than eukaryotes, can live in extreme
environments, live inside of us (digestive tract), are
very important.
Come in sphere, rod and spiral shapes
2 groups Bacteria and Achaea
Bacteria- found in air, land and water, everywhere
Covers skin, lining nose and mouth, fill digestive
tract
Many bacteria are pathogens- disease-causing
agent
Lyme disease, staph, meningitis, syphilis
Kochs postulate*

Archaea- thrive in extreme conditions (heat, salt,
areas high in methane)
Ways of nourishment-
Photoautotroph- sun and CO2
Chemoautotroph- inorganic compounds and
CO2
Most prokaryotes are heterotrophs**
Photoheterotroph- sun and organic compounds
(obtain carbon from organic molecules, E from
sun)
Chemoheterotroph- Most abundant*- get
everything from organic compounds



Capsule
C
o
l
o
r
i
z
e
d

T
E
M

7
0
,
0
0
0

Pili
C
o
l
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r
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z
e
d

T
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1
6
,
0
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Uses of bacteria

Biological weapons
Recycle chemicals, clean up environment (oil spills)

Bioremediation- use of prokaryotes to clean up pollution
Eukaryotes originated from communities of prokaryotes
Lived symbiotically (endosymbiosis)- gave rise to mitochondria and chloroplasts
Protists- unicellular and some multicellular eukaryotes
Some are photosynthetic
Heterotrophs are called protozoa
More complicated than prokaryotes- have membrane bound nucleus and organelles

4 types:
Protozoa- ingest food animal like Ex:amoeba
Slime molds- have uni- and multi-cellular stages of life, heterotrophs
Unicellular algae-photosynthetic
Multicellular algae- seaweed- photosynthetic
Multicellular life probably evolved by specialization of protist colonies
Multicellular life- arose about 1bil yrs ago and was aquatic until 500mil yrs ago



Rotating
spray arm
Rock bed
coated with
aerobic
bacteria
and fungi
Outflow
Liquid wastes
Cytoplasm
Plasma
membrane
Ancestral prokaryote
Membrane infolding

Endoplasmic
reticulum
Nuclear
envelope Nucleus
Cell with nucleus and
endomembrane system
Photosynthetic
prokaryote
Some
cells
Aerobic heterotrophic
prokaryote
Ancestral host cell
Endosymbiosis
Mitochondrion
Chloroplast
Mitochondrion
Photosynthetic eukaryotic cell
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Alveolates Stramenopila Amoebozoa
Ancestral eukaryote
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microorganism
https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=chapter+16+micro
bial+life+prokaryotes+and+protists+powerpoint&source=l
nms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=
http://ockerscience.wikispaces.com/file/view/LEH+Ch+16
+teacher.ppt
http://faculty.tarleton.edu/nelson/public/Biology%20470/C
h.%2016%20Presentation.ppt
http://projects.ecfs.org/pchurch/powerpointsCCe5/16_Lec
tures_PPT/16_Lectures_PPT.ppt

Researched by
Dimaporo, Janisah M.