KINGDOM MONERA Definition, Etymology, & Pronunciation Mo·ne·ra [muh-neer-uh] –noun (used with a plural verb) Biology. a taxonomic kingdom of prokaryotic organisms that typically reproduce by asexual budding or fission and have a nutritional mode of absorption, photosynthesis, or chemosynthesis, comprising the bacteria, blue-green algae, and various primitive pathogens. Origin: < Neo-Latin (1869), plural of monēron, coinage based on Greek monḗrēs solitary, single, derivative of mónos alone, only Acrostic Mycroplasmas are found in most instances as intracellular parasites in plants and animals. Oxygen may be required for some bacteria to survive while it kills others. Nitrogen, is one of the many micronutrients needed to survive. Extremely salty environments, such as the Dead Sea is home to Halophiles which are a third type of archaebacteria. Reproduction involves the cell making a copy of itself and passing along a DNA molecule to the offspring. Archaebacteria is the most ancient organism on Earth. Monera Facts Angela M. Morales Page 1 KINGDOM MONERA The scientific kingdom Monera is made up of one-celled organisms that most of us refer to as bacteria. Bacteria are the most plentiful and widespread organism on Earth, and the oldest. They are different from other organisms because they do not have a nucleus. Various types of bacteria affect different parts of our environment. 1. Types o There are three types of bacteria, and within those three types are further breakdowns. Archaebacteria is the most ancient organism on Earth. The thermoacidophiles are archaebacteria found in acidic water surrounding sulfur hot springs. Methanogens are archaebacteria that live in places such as deep-sea volcanic vents and the intestines of mammals. Angela M. Morales Page 2 KINGDOM MONERA Halophiles are a third type of archaebacteria. These are found in extremely salty environments, such as the Dead Sea. The second main type of monera is eubacteria. The most common method of classifying eubacteria is the Gram Stain. The third major type is mycroplasmas, the smallest living cells that have been discovered. Mycroplasmas are found in most instances as intracellular parasites in plants and animals. Angela M. Morales Page 3 KINGDOM MONERA 2. Nutrition o Bacteria obtain nutrition in various ways. Bacteria need carbon, energy, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and other micronutrients to survive. Some bacteria produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Other bacteria get energy from breaking down organic compounds, such as decomposing materials, in their environment. Other types of bacteria are parasites and take food from their hosts. Some types require oxygen to survive, and others are killed by oxygen. Reproduction o Bacteria reproduce using binary fission. This involves the cell making a copy of itself and passing along a DNA molecule to the offspring. This means the parent cell and the offspring are genetically identical. Transformation may occur if the bacteria take DNA fragments from the soil or water. Conjugation occurs when a bacterium attaches itself to another bacterium and transfers DNA. Transduction occurs when DNA is transferred to a bacterium through a virus. This process allows bacteria to change as their environment changes in some instances. This change is not possible through binary fission reproduction alone. Locomotion o Bacteria move about using various means. They squirm, glide and propel themselves using flagella, which are long, hair-like whips. Some bacteria also excrete a slime that helps them glide along surfaces. A few types of bacteria use a type of location that is made possible with axial filaments or bundled fibrils on the outer cell wall of the bacteria. The axial filaments rotate the cell and move in a corkscrew like fashion. Bacteria use locomotion to approach nutrients, move away from toxins and for other purposes. Significance o Bacteria are everywhere around us. They keep us healthy and make us sick. They are used in producing disease-fighting drugs. They turn milk to yogurt or cheese. Bacteria make decomposition possible, and bacteria in the digestive tracts of some animals make it possible for them to digest plant materials. Legumes grow because of bacteria in the soil that supply them with nitrogen. These are just a few examples of the roles these smallest of organisms play in the continuation of life on Earth. References: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/monera (Definition, Etymology, & Pronunciation) Monera Facts | eHow.com By Bethney Foster, eHow Contributor -Article on Monera http://www.ehow.com/about_5452814_monera.html#ixzz1Gmj0uthr Angela M. Morales Page 4 .