Difference Between Bacteria and Fungi

Bacteria and Fungi both come under different categories. Bacteria is the prokaryotic cell while the fungi are Eukaryotic cells. Besides this there are many other differences between them are known. As, bacteria need a host to live, and they can be autotrophs as well as heterotrophs. On the other hand, fungi grow their own and are heterotrophs and hence depend on others for their food. Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes are the two main categorizations of the organisms. Prokaryotes are the most primitive and are single-celled. Whereas Eukaryotes evolved from the prokaryotes only, but still they are multicellular and contains all organelles. Both are sharing some similarities such as both reproduce and both are living. This article will deal with the difference between Bacteria and Fungi.

What is Bacteria?

They are prokaryotic microorganisms, and it was considered that they evolved around 3.5 billion years ago. They can be either autotroph means they can prepare their food by the photosynthesis process or heterotrophs means to depend on their host for nutrition. Bacteria generally have three shapes like spherical, rod-shaped, and spiral. They reproduce asexually by binary fission method or by conjugation.

What is Fungi?

Fungi are the eukaryotic organisms, and they may be unicellular like yeasts or multicellular like hyphae. They have evolved 900 million years ago and derived from protists. They generally exist in the thread-like structure called hypha. And after growth, they form a thick mass known as mycelium. They are heterotrophic organisms which consume organic carbon for their nutrient. They also secrete hydrolytic enzymes. Fungi are getting their nutrition from dead and decaying materials. They reproduce sexually as well asexually through the process of developing branches, fragmentation, budding, etc.

Difference Between Bacteria and Fungi

The important difference between Bacteria and Fungi.

PARAMETER	BACTERIA	FUNGI
Characteristics	They are Prokaryotes, Single-celled without organelles.	They are Eukaryotes, Multi-celled with Organelles.
Nucleus	They lack the nucleus.	Nucleus present.
Cell wall Composition	The cell wall is consisting of peptidoglycan.	The cell wall is consisting of chitin.
Cell Membrane	The cell membrane exists below the cell wall.	Cell membrane exists.
Mode of reproduction	Asexual.	Can be either sexually or asexually.
Motility	Move through flagellum.	They are non-motile.
Mode of nutrition	Can be autotrophs, but usually heterotrophs.	Heterotrophs, usually feed on the dead and decayed matter.
Host	They need a host to grow.	They grow on their own.
Source of energy.	They obtain energy from sugars, proteins, and fats.	They obtain energy from the used and pre-existing sources present in an environment.

FAQs on Bacteria and Fungi:

Q.1: What are the main components of the bacterial cell?

Answer: The bacterial cell contains the following main components: Glycocalyx , Nucleoid , Pilus , Mesosomes ,Flagellum ,  Ribosomes , Cell membrane , Endospore, etc.

Q.2: What are the diseases caused by bacteria and fungi?

Answer: Tuberculosis, rabies, leprosy, tetanus, diphtheria, strep throat, leprosy, pertussis, cholera are some diseases caused by Bacteria. Whereas aspergillosis, aspergilloma, allergic bronchopulmonary are diseases caused by Fungi.