Question

3. Name and describe two adaptations that have enabled bacteria to become such a biodiverse domain of life. (2 points)

Answer 1

Bacteria have a nature of adapting to the nature. their cellular components and genetic material associated with bacteria are capable of alteration. alterations are maintained and also passed to the future generations. the most important adaptation of bacteria include
1. antibiotic resistance : the bacteria can adopt to the coditions of an antibiotic and makes itself resistant to that antibiotic. the antibiotic resistance can appear in two ways, they are inherent resistance and acquired resistance.
inherent resistance is naturally available reistance in the bacteria, i.e., in its physical structure( cell membrane that does not penetrates molecules into them)
acquired resistance is obtained by change in genetic makeup of bacterial genome.it can be obtained by mutation.
2. adaptation to environmental conditions:
the bacteria will adapt to the environmental conditions such as change in temperature, concentration of ions and pH levels. bacteria react to sudden change in their environment by expressing whole lost of genome.this causes changes in both the physical and genetical structures of the bacteria. for example the heat shock response of E.coli.