Characteristics of Monera

Characteristics of Monera
The following points related to Monera characteristics will help you understand the kingdom of classification better.
• Monera are about 1 micrometer in size and complex as living molecules.
• The Monera cell structure is mostly unicellular and some organisms that form groups or filaments.
• These organisms are the simplest prokaryotic cell structures.
• The Monera cell structure lacks nuclei and many other cell organelles.
• They have a cell wall made of polysaccharides with polypeptide cross links with a chemical called peptidoglycan.
• They lack enclosed sub-cellular organelles like mitochondria and only have ribosomes.
• The genetic material DNA is contained in the cytoplasm called nucleoid.
• Many bacterial species contain rings of DNA called plasmids.
• The cytoplasm is enclosed by plasma membrane that lies beneath the cell wall.
• The plasma membrane is made up of lipids and proteins.
• Some Monera have hair like pilli for adhesion or tail-like flagella for locomotion.
• The source of nutrition for these organisms is usually photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
• The characteristics also include the shape of the cell that includes round (cocci), rod-like (bacilli) or spiral (spirochetes or spirilla).
• Reproduction is asexually through binary fission or sexually by conjugation. The process of circulation and digestion is carried out through diffusion.
• The Monera kingdom includes all bacteria that may infect animals, humans and plants. But most of the members are termed as beneficial bacteria, rather than pathogenic bacteria.
• The Monerans kill organisms causing pathogenic diseases, breaks down algae and can even recycle chemical pollutants like hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.
• Bacteria that grow in the root nodules help break down atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen,
• The bacteria that forms the natural flora of the intestines are very important for proper digestion.
• One of their many characteristics also includes production of antibiotics likes streptomycin that is useful for treatment of infections
• Monorans can be identified by their characteristic of cell wall that can be or not stained by Gram staining.
• Most of the Monorans can survive harsh environment by producing spore coat.