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The cell wall is so important to the which means they do have DNA.
bacterium that certain medicines, In bacteria cells, most of the DNA
like penicillin, work by keeping cell is found in a circular strand packed
walls of harmful bacteria from tightly in a structure called the
forming. This causes the cell to nucleoid. Along with DNA found

die. For bacteria that live inside of in the nucleoid, many bacteria
other living things, a capsule or have circular strands of DNA called
slime layer often surrounds the cell plasmids.
wall to keep it from being
destroyed.

Cell Membrane, Cytoplasm,
and Ribosomes

Like all cells, bacteria have a cell
membrane, cytoplasm, and
ribosomes. Inside the cell wall is Figure 5 – In bacteria, DNA is found in the
the cell membrane, which provides nucleoid (shown in red) and the plasmids
even more protection for the cell. (shown in blue.)
Inside the cell membrane is a liquid Flagella
material called cytoplasm.

Some bacteria have one or more
Cytoplasm holds all the structures
inside the cell. One of these tail-like structures called flagella.
structures are called ribosomes. A flagellum (that’s the singular
form of flagella) swings back and
Ribosomes have the very important forth, which makes the bacterium
job of creating proteins. Proteins
are needed for the cell to do pretty spin and pushes it forward.

much anything, so ribosomes are
very important.

Structures Involved in

Reproduction

In cells that have nuclei, the
material needed for reproduction,
called DNA, is found in the
nucleus. Bacteria, of course, have
no nucleus, but they do reproduce,

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