Difference Between Archaea and Bacteria

Archaea and bacteria are both single-celled microorganisms, but they differ in genetic makeup, membrane structure, and habitat. Archaea often thrive in extreme environments like hot springs and acidic conditions, while bacteria can be found in diverse habitats, including soil, water, and human bodies. The cell walls of archaea and bacteria differ in composition; archaea have unique lipids, while bacteria have peptidoglycan.

Despite their similarities, these distinctions highlight the evolutionary and ecological differences between archaea and bacteria. In this article we will discuss about differences between Archaea and Bacteria , what is archaea and bacteria and their functions.

Difference Between Archaea and Bacteria

The differences between Archaea and Bacteria are stated below:

Characteristics	Archaea	Bacteria
Types	Thermoacidophiles Methanogens Halophiles	Gram Positive Gram Negative
Metabolism Activity	Glycolysis and Citric Acid Cycle (Modified form)	Glycolysis and Citric Acid Cycle
Cell Wall	Pseudopeptidoglycan	Peptidoglycan/ Lipopolysaccharide
Thriving Habitat	They can thrive in extreme environmental conditions such as deep sea vents, guts of humans, hot springs and marshlands	They are found in hot springs, radioactive wastes, soil, organic matter and the earth’s crust
Cell Membrane	Ether linked lipids	Ester linked lipids
Method of Reproduction	Archaea reproduce asexually by the process of fragmentation, budding and binary fission.	Bacteria produce spores
No of RNA present	Three RNA	Single RNA
Presence on Introns	Introns are present in chromosomes of archaea	Introns are absent in the chromosomes of bacteria
Presence on Thymine	Thymine is absent in t-RNA	Thymine is present in t-RNA
Photosynthesis	Archaea don’t perform photosynthesis	Many bacteria perform photosynthesis
Pathogenicity	Archaea are not pathogenic	Bacteria are pathogenic

What is Archaea?

Archaea are single-celled microorganisms. They possess a structure similar to bacteria but are evolutionarily different from bacteria. Archaea is derived from the Greek word archaios which means primitive or ancient. Many archaea are found in extreme habitats such as in high pressure and salt conditions. Thus, some archaea are also known as extremophiles. Archaea sometimes live in association with eukaryotes. Some archaea are in symbiotic relationship with sponges and methanogenic archaea is found in the digestive system of some animals. A few examples of archaea are Lokiarchaeota and Methanobrevibacter smithii.

Role of Archaea

The role of archaea are:

• They help in digestion.
• They help in ammonia fixation.
• They remove hydrogen in the carbon cycle.
• They help with global nutrient cycling.

What is Bacteria?

Bacteria are single-celled organisms that can be found in various environments. They can be both beneficial and harmful. Bacteria also play crucial roles in processes like digestion and decomposition and cause diseases. The cell wall of bacteria is made up of peptidoglycan. Bacteria can survive in extreme conditions as well. Bacteria are classified into 5 groups depending on their shapes i.e. spherical (Cocci), Spiral (Spirilla), Corkscrew (Spirochaetes), Rod (Bacilli) and Comma (Vibrios). A few examples of bacteria are Campylobacter, E. Coli, Norovirus and Salmonella and a few of the useful bacteria are lactobacillus, Actinobacteria and Escherichia Coli.

Role of Bacteria

The role of bacteria are

• It helps to degrade food or act as decomposers.
• It helps to neutralise toxins.
• It enhances soil fertility.
• It helps in industrial production.

Similarities Between Archaea and Bacteria

Although there are difference between Archaea and Bacteria, but they have some similarities too:

• Both of them are the same in shape and size.
• Both of them lack a well-defined nucleus.
• Both of them are unicellular.
• They look morphologically similar.

Conclusion: Difference Between Archaea and Bacteria

Both Bacteria and archaea are prokaryotic microorganisms but show fundamental differences in their cell walls, habitats and membranes. Bacteria have peptidoglycan in their walls whereas archaea lack the same. Metabolic pathways of both archaea and bacteria are different. But both of them are single-celled microorganisms and are similar morphologically. Bacteria play crucial roles in ecological processes while archaea help in nutrient cycling. They are different when evolutionary processes and functions are considered. Thus, both of them evolved independently and play different ecological roles.

FAQs on Difference Between Archaea and Bacteria

What is the Difference Between Archaea and Bacteria?

Archaea and bacteria have many different properties. Archaea use methods like budding, and fragmentation for reproduction whereas bacteria use methods like spore formation.

In which Characteristics are Archaea Different from Bacteria?

Bacteria have peptidoglycan in their cell walls but archaea don’t have peptidoglycan in their cell wall.

What is the Difference Between Bacteria and Archaea rRNA?

Bacteria have single RNA whereas archaea have three types of RNA. Bacterial RNA is known as transfer messenger RNA or tmRNA.

What are the 3 Types of Archaea?

The three types of archaea are methanogens, thermoacidophiles and methanogens.

Is Archaea Multicellular or Unicellular?

Archaea are unicellular and prokaryotic. They live in extreme conditions and are known as extremophiles.