Monera is a kingdom composed solely of prokaryotic organisms like bacteria and cyanobacteria. Bacteria can exist as single cells, filaments, or colonies, and can be aerobic or anaerobic, autotrophic or heterotrophic. Other groups in the kingdom include cyanobacteria, which can perform photosynthesis, and eubacteria, which rely on organic carbon sources. Archaebacteria are the most ancient group and differ so greatly from other Monera that they may constitute their own kingdom.

1. Kingdom Monera
Monera are the only kingdom composed of prokaryotic organisms
The major group of this kingdom is the bacteria that have a cell wall, and
lack both membrane- bound organelles and multi-cellular forms
Bacteria may be solitary cells, filamentous, or colonial, Aerobic or
anaerobic, Autotrophic or heterotrophic
Other groups of Monera include the cyanobacteria (autotrophic) and
eubacteria (heterotrophic)
The Archaebacteria, the most ancient of this kingdom, are so different that
they may belong to a separate kingdom

2. 1. Size
• Bacterial cells are very small,
• about 1-2µm in diameter and 10 µm long
– One micrometer = 1/1000 mm.
• Imagine looking at a dime from its thinnest side
and trying to slice it into a thousand pieces; that is
the same as 1 µm.

3. Shapes of Prokaryotes
• Cocci =
spherical
(round)
• Bacillus =
(rod
shaped)
• Spirilla =
helical
(spiral)

4. Shapes
3 basic shapes
Spiral
Cocci - sphere This spiral
shaped
Bacilli - rods bacteria is
the causitive
agent of
Spirilla – spirals syphilis
Treponema
pallidum
Rod shaped
Streptococcus sp.
Chains of nearly-
2 basic groupings spherical bacteria.
From The
Rockefeller
Spherical
Staph - in clusters University.
Strep - in chains

5. Bacterium Shapes
• Cocci~ Sphere shaped
bacteria
• Bacillus~ Rod shaped bacteria
• Spirrillium ~ Spiral shaped
bacteria
• Flagella~ Leg-like structures
that help to propel the
bacterium.

6. 2. Lack membrane-bound organelles
inside the cell

7. 3. have few internal structures that are
distinguishable under a
microscope.

8. 4. genetic information is in a circular
loop called a plasmid
• E. coli cell dividing.
• E. Coli Grows in
human intestine;
– Has a single, circular
chromosome
– contains DNA as
plasmids
• Plasmids are extra-
chromosomal DNA

9. 5. Strong cell walls: resistant to
environmental changes