1. Bacteria come in a variety of shapes including rods, spirals, and spheres. They reproduce through binary fission and can acquire new genetic material through transformation, conjugation, and transduction.
2. Bacteria can be pathogenic and cause diseases in humans, with transmission occurring through various routes like contaminated food or water. Common bacterial diseases include strep throat, pneumonia, and food poisoning.
3. Antibiotics target different aspects of bacterial growth and reproduction but antibiotic resistance has become a major issue as many diseases are now harder to treat. Proper antibiotic usage is important to address this problem.