Similarities and Dissimilarities between Bacteria and Cyanobacteria

We will discuss about the similarities and Dissimilarities between Bacteria and Cyanobacteria.

A prokaryotic nucleus carries both bacteria and cyanobacteria.
Both are unicellular or colonial and the complicated structures are in filamentous form.
Both groups have comparable structure of the cell wall and division of cells.
The typical cellular organelles found in eukaryotic cells lack both.
The genetic material is DNA without histone proteins.
Cells have a gelatinous sheath surrounding them.
Both have similar forms of cells, i.e. Spherical, spiral and cylindrical.
No zoospores are formed in the blue-green algae and bacteria during asexual reproduction.
Desiccation and high temperatures can be tolerated by members of both groups.
Like saprophytic bacteria, in the absence of light, blue-green algae may live on dead organic matter.
For both blue-green algae and bacteria, genetic recombination is present.
Both bacteria nd cyanobacteria have the ability to fix nitrogen.

While most of the bacteria are flagellate, cyanobacteria are always flagellate.
While most bacteria are anaerobic, all cyanobacteria are aerobic.
The cells of cyanobacteria is larger than bacteria.
All cyanobacteria have chlorophyll for photosynthesis, while bacteria have bacteriochlorophyll.
In bacteria, the hydrogen source is H₂S, while in cyanobacteria, it is H₂0.
Bacteria may be autotrophic or heterotrophic but Cyanobacteria is autotrophic.
Bacteria Cellwall may be 1-2 layered but cell wall of Cyanobacteria is 4 layered.
Accessory pigment is absent in bacteria while phycocyanin and phycoerythrin are present in cyanobacteria
The reserve food material in bacteria is Glycogen while in cyanobacteria it is Cyanophycean starch.
Heterocyst is absent in case of bacteria but is present in cyanobacteria.

References