Bacteria vs. Fungi
The key difference between bacteria and fungi is that bacteria is a prokaryotic unicellular organism while fungi is a eukaryotic multicellular organism.
Key Differences
Bacteria are made up of prokaryotic cell whereas fungi are made up of the eukaryotic
Bacteria are found in three different shapes, e., round, spiral or rod-shaped while fungi vary in shape, but mostly it is found in a thread-like structure called hyphae.
Bacteria is the most primitive, unicellular organism with a simple type of cell while fungi is an advanced organism with unicellular or multicellular complex cell structure.
The branch of biology in which we study about bacteria is known as bacteriology whereas the branch of biology in which we study about fungi is known as mycology.
Mostly bacteria are heterotrophs, but some are autotrophs too while all the fungi are heterotrophs.
Harmful bacteria spread many diseases like tuberculosis, rabies, leprosy, diphtheria, strep throat, leprosy, pertussis, tetanus and cholera, etc while fungi spread diseases like athlete's foot, aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary, and aspergilloma, etc.
Bacteria reproduce asexually while fungi reproduce by both sexual and asexual method.
Bacteria belong to kingdom monera while fungi belong to kingdom Fungi.
Bacteria grow best in neutral pH, e., 6.5 to 7.0 but fungi grow best in slightly acidic pH, i.e., 4 to 6.
Antibiotics are used to control bacterial infections while the antifungal medication is used against fungal infections.
Bacteria are motile and can move through flagella while fungi are nonmotile.
Example of bacteria is Escherichia coli whereas Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is an example of fungi.
Comparison Chart
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Bacteria are the most primitive, unicellular organism with a simple type of cell.
Fungi is an advanced organism with unicellular or multicellular complex cell structure.
Branch of biology
The branch of biology that deals with the study of bacteria is known as bacteriology.
The branch of biology that deals with the study of fungi is known as mycology.
Kingdom
Bacteria is placed in kingdom Monera.
Fungi is placed in kingdom Fungi.
Cell type
It is made up of a prokaryotic cell.
It is made up of a eukaryotic cell.
Cell number
It is a unicellular organism.
It may be a unicellular or multicellular organism.
Nucleus
The nucleus is absent in bacteria.
Fungi have a prominent nucleus.
Membrane-bounded organelles
Membrane-bounded organelles like mitochondria etc. are absent in bacteria.
Membrane-bounded organelles are present in fungi.
Cell Wall
The cell wall is present and made up of peptidoglycan in bacteria.
The cell wall is present and is made up of chitin in fungi.
Cell membrane
It has a cell membrane.
Fungi also have a cell membrane.
Shape
Bacteria are found in three different shapes, i.e., round, spiral or rod-shaped.
Fungi vary in shape, but mostly it is found in a thread-like structure called hyphae.
Feeding habit
Mostly bacteria are heterotrophs, but some are autotrophs too.
Fungi are heterotrophs and feed on decaying matter.
Locomotion
Bacteria are motile and can move through flagella etc.
Fungi are non-motile; i.e., it cannot move from one place to another.
Mode of reproduction
It reproduces asexually.
Fungi reproduce by both sexual and asexual reproduction.
pH
Bacteria grow best in neutral pH, i.e., 6.5 to 7.0.
Fungi grow best in slightly acidic pH, i.e., 4 to 6.
Characteristics
They may be both harmful and useful.
They are also of both types, i.e., harmful and useful.
Importance
Bacteria are used in biotechnology and in making various antibiotics and vaccines etc.
Fungi are used as food and in baking industries etc.
Diseases
Harmful bacteria spread many diseases like tuberculosis, rabies, leprosy, diphtheria, strep throat, leprosy, pertussis, tetanus and cholera, etc.
Fungi also spread many diseases like athlete's foot, aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary, and aspergilloma, etc.
Treatment
Antibacterial or antibiotics are used to control bacterial infections.
Antifungal medication is used for fungal infection.
Examples
Example of bacteria is Escherichia coli.
Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is an example of fungi.
Bacteria and Fungi Definitions
Bacteria
Plural of bacterium.
Bacteria
(US) A type, species, or strain of bacterium.
Fungi
(pathology) Spongy, abnormal growth, as granulation tissue formed in a wound.
Bacteria
Alternative form of bacterium.
Fungi
Alternative spelling of fungee
Bacteria
Lowlife, slob (could be treated as plural or singular).
Fungi
A style of folk and popular music from the Virgin Islands, traditionally performed by bands consisting of banjo, guitar, ukulele, and washboard with various percussion instruments on rhythm.
Bacteria
An oval bacterium, as distinguished from a spherical coccus or rod-shaped bacillus.
Fungi
A group of thallophytic plant-like organisms of low organization, destitute of chlorophyll, in which reproduction is mainly accomplished by means of asexual spores, which are produced in a great variety of ways, though sexual reproduction is known to occur in certain Phycomycetes, or so-called algal fungi. They include the molds, mildews, rusts, smuts, mushrooms, toadstools, puff balls, and the allies of each. In the two-kingdom classification system they were classed with the plants, but in the modern five-kingdom classification, they are not classed as plants, but are classed in their own separate kingdom fungi, which includes the phyla Zygomycota (including simple fungi such as bread molds), Ascomycota (including the yeasts), Basidiomycota (including the mushrooms, smuts, and rusts), and Deuteromycota (the fungi imperfecti). Some of the forms, such as the yeasts, appear as single-celled microorganisms, but all of the fungi are are eukaryotic, thus distinguishing them from the prokaryotic microorganisms of the kingdon Monera.
Fungi
The taxonomic kingdom of lower plants
Bacteria
(microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered plants
Fungi
(pun) the one who buys the drinks
Bacteria vs. Fungi
All the organisms that are found on earth are broadly classified into two main types, i.e., prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Prokaryotes are the primitive type of microorganisms that are single-celled and lack membrane-bounded organelles while eukaryotes that have evolved from prokaryotes have many membrane-bounded organelles and are multicellular. Bacteria are a type of prokaryotic unicellular organisms, so it is devoid of membrane-bounded organelles while fungi is a eukaryotic unicellular or multicellular organism and consist of many membrane-bounded organelles. So, bacteria is without any proper nucleus while fungi have a prominent nucleus. They are cosmopolitan in distribution, i.e., they are found almost everywhere in the world. They may be both, useful and harmful. In this article, we will summarize the comparison between bacteria and fungi.
What is Bacteria?
Bacteria is a unicellular prokaryotic microorganism that was evolved first on the earth about 3.5 billion years ago. They are found almost everywhere. They may also survive in extreme conditions like hot springs, deserts, deep oceans and snow, etc. where many other life forms cannot survive. Many of them also live in or on other organisms as parasites. They can be both autotrophs (that can make their food or heterotrophs (that cannot make their food) and depend on other organisms for energy. Some bacteria are also decomposers. By shape, bacteria are classified into three main types, i.e., spherical (e.g., cocci), spiral (e.g., Spirochetes) and rod-shaped (e.g., Vibrio). A bacterial cell consists of the cell wall, glycocalyx (A layer of glycocalyx around cell wall to protect it and also act as receptor surface), nucleoid, pilus, mesosomes, fimbriae, inclusion/granules, ribosomes, endospore, flagellum and cell membrane, etc. On the basis of gram staining technique, bacteria are classified into gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria are the bacteria that are stained purple while gram-negative bacteria stained pink. Bacteria may be both harmful and beneficial. Beneficial bacteria are used in biotechnology and produce antibiotics etc. Harmful bacteria spread many diseases like tuberculosis, rabies, leprosy, diphtheria, strep throat, leprosy, pertussis, tetanus and cholera, etc. These diseases can be treated by antibiotics, but excess use of these antibiotics make the body resistant against them.
Example
An example of bacteria is Escherichia coli.
What is Fungi?
Fungi is a eukaryotic organism that may be unicellular or multi-cellular, evolved about 900 million years ago and is derived from protists. It is found in a thread like structure known as hypha which is organized to form a thick mass known as mycelium. They are heterotrophs and obtain their food by absorption from the environment so known as absorptive heterotrophs. Most fungi are saprophytes and feed on dead matter. They secret digestive enzymes on the organic matter to digest it and then absorb the food. Some fungi are parasites and predator too. They reproduce by both sexual and asexual method by forming spores, conidia, fragmentation or budding, etc. Fungi are made up of the cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, peroxisomes, endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes, etc. Fungi are also both harmful and useful. Useful fungi are used as food, e.g., mushrooms, in industries for fermentation, e.g. yeast and also to get antibiotics, e.g., penicillin. Harmful fungi spread many diseases like athlete’s foot, aspergillosis, allergic bronchopulmonary, and aspergilloma, etc. Antifungal medicines are used for their treatment.
Example
Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is an example of fungi.
