Chapter# 04 Virus, Bacteria and Cyanobacteria

Q.1: Write a short not on the discovery of virus. Or What is virus? Discuss the discovery of virus.
The word virus means “Poison”. Viruses are so small that they can only be seen with the help of an electron
microscope or through biochemical test. It is a microscopic organism and discovered in 1892 by a Russian
biologist, Iwanowsky as a cause of the tobacco mosaic disease occurring in tobacco leaves.
Q.2: Write down the characteristics of a virus.
Ans: Characteristics of a Virus:
1. Viruses are non-cellular parasites.
2. Its size ranges from 20nm to 250nm.
3. Its shape may be rod, tadpole or may be polyhedral or sphere like.
4. They are composed of nucleic acids and protein.
5. There is no sexual and asexual reproduction.
6. They reproduced by replication.

Q.3: Define the structure of a virus. Also draw a labelled diagram of a bacteriophage virus.
Ans: Structure of a virus:
1. The whole body of virus consists of inner core of DNA or
RNA surrounded by an outer coat of protein called capsid.
2. It is broader at one end and narrower at the other.
Broader end is called head and narrower end is called tail.
3. There is no nucleus, no cytoplasm and no cell wall.
4. The smallest virus has only four genes while the largest
have several hundreds.

Q.4: Which organism are infected by virus? Or What are

the types of virus?
Ans: Viruses infect the following organisms.
1. Plant viruses infect plants.
2. Animal viruses infect animals.
3. Bacteriophages infects bacteria.

Q.5: Write down the characteristics of virus as living or nonliving.

Ans: On the bases of structure it is difficult to place them in the plant or animal kingdom. They are on border
line of living or nonliving thing as they show both the characteristics.
As Living Thing:
1. Viruses with the core of DNA or RNA surrounded by protein coat somewhat resemble the chromosomes
of other living organisms.
2. They have the ability to replication.
3. Many kinds of viruses are known to undergo mutation.
As Nonliving Thing:
1. Non-cellular structure.
2. Undergo crystallization.
3. Completely inactive outside host’s cell.
Q.5. Describe the cause spread and control of some plant and animal viral diseases?
ANS: ANIMAL VIRAL DISEASES
Animal viruses cause following important disease.
1. POLIOMYELITIS: It is caused by polio virus. It is now largely under control by vaccination.
2. COLDS: Colds are viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. More than 200 viruses causing cold have
been identified. It can also be controlled by vaccination.
3. MEASLES AND MUMPS: Measles and mumps are common viral diseases of children. Proper vaccination of
MMR vaccine develops immunity against these infection.
4. HUMAN IMMUNE VIRUS (HIV): It was discovered in 1985. It causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS). No medicine or vaccine is effective for curing AIDS.
5. RABIES: Rabies is caused by virus.
6. FLU: It is the most common disease caused by the influenza virus

PLANT VIRAL DISEASES: One of the best known plant diseases occurring in tobacco leaves is caused by tobacco
mosaic virus. Light green and yellow patches appear on the leaves of diseased plant.
Q.6: Write a short not on the discovery of bacteria. Or What are bacteria? Discuss the discovery of bacteria.
Ans: Bacteria are unicellular organisms which can be seen by electron microscope. They are measured about
micron in size. Bacteria were first discovered by Leeuwenhoek. They are considered as the smallest and
simplest known living creatures. Bacteria are omnipresent i.e. they are present everywhere except fire.
They are able to survive in extreme environmental conditions i.e. 0 C and up to 150 C.
Q.7: Define structure of bacteria. Draw a labelled diagram of a rod shaped bacteria.
Structure of Bacteria:
Cell Wall: The outer wall of bacteria is called cell wall. It is different from
other plant cells because cellulose is not present in it.
Cell Membrane: The second layer of bacteria which is next to cell to cell
wall is called cell membrane.
Cytoplasm: Cytoplasm is granular. It has many but small vacuoles,
Ribosomes, and glycogen particles.
Nucleus: They don’t possess well organized as they have no nuclear
membrane, no nucleolus, no nucleoplasm and no typical chromosomes.

Q.8: What are the types of bacteria on the basis of shapes?

Ans: There are four types of bacteria on the basis of shape.
1. Cocci: They are rounded in shape. They have following types: koksai
a. Monococcus: They are single, not arranged in groups.
b. Diplococci: They are found in pairs.
c. Streptococci: They are arranged in chain like manner
d. Staphylococci: They are present in groups, they are non-flagellated.
2. Bacilli: They are rod shaped. They have following types: Basilai
a. Monobacilli: They are single, not arranged in groups.
b. Diplobacilli: They may be found in pairs.
c. Streptobacilli: They are arranged in a chain and flagellated.
3. Spirilla: They are spiral shaped bacteria. They are never found in groups.
4. Vibrio: They are slightly curved or comma shaped. They may be flagellated.
Q.9: What are cyanobacteria?
Ans: CYANOBACTFRIA:
Cyanobacteria are photo synthesizers that sometimes can also fix atmospheric nitrogen. They are probably the
first organisms who introduced oxygen into the primitive atmosphere and probably first to colonize land.
Q.10: Stale the salient features of Cyanobacteria?
Ans: SALIENT FEATURES OF CYANOBACTERIA:

 These blue green algae are Prokaryotic.

 They may occur alone or in the form of colony.
 Cell-wall is double layered.
 Protoplasm is differentiated into an outer coloured region - chiromoplasm and an inner colourless
region - centroplasm.
 Found in fresh water, few
 There is a total absence of sexual reproduction.
 Only asexual reproduction takes place.
 Examples: Nostoc, Anabena
Q.11: Discuss respiration in bacteria.
Ans: There are two types of respiration in bacteria:
Aerobic respiration: Aerobes require oxygen for respiration.
Anaerobic respiration: Anaerobes respire without oxygen.

Q.12: What are the useful and harmful effects of bacteria?

Ans: USEFUL BACTERIA:
Agricultural Bacteria: Saprophytic bacteria decompose dead animals and plants into salt and minerals, which
make the soil fertile.
Alimentary Canal Bacteria: They help herbivores in the digestion of cellulose by producing an enzyme
Cellulose. Similarly some are present in human beings and make vitamins.
Industrial Bacteria:
They help in:
Curing and ripening of tobacco leaves.
Fermentation of sugar into alcohol.
Ripening of cheese.
Retting of fibers.
Curdling of milk.
Conversion of hides into leather etc.
Medicinal Bacteria: Valuable antibiotic drugs have been obtained from bacteria.
Example:
Thyrothycin, Subtilin.
Nitrogen Fixation: Some bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, which can be used as nutrients by plants.
HARMFUL BACTERIA:
Pathogenic Bacteria:

 These are inivisible enemies for man. Some bacteria cause disease in man such as tuberculosis (TB), tetanus,
plague, pneumonia, cholera and diphtheria.
 Plant diseases caused by bacteria are black rots of cabbage citrus canker, fine blight of pear and apple, ring
rot of potato etc.
 Some bacteria live inside the cell of animals and plants produce toxic substance.
Food Spoilage: Bacteria spoil food by fermentation and decomposition.

Q.13: Describe the general characteristics of nostoc?

Ans: NOSTOC:

 According to new classification, Nostoc belongs to kingdom prokaryotes (Monera).

 It floats on water.
 The Nostoc is filamentous. The filaments are intermixed in gelatinous mass forming a ball like structure.
A single filament looks like a chain of baeds.
 Each cell has double layered wall. The outer thicker layer is made up of cellulose mixed up with pectin.
The inner thin layer is purely made up of cellulose.
 There is total absence of endoplasmic reticulum, mito