What are the differences in bacterial and fungal colonies?

Answer by  prem (15)

Bacterial colonies are wet, shiny looking, smooth and generally smaller in size, usually visible as punctiform (little dots) or entire, circular colonies. Fungal colonies are furry. It's extended their hyphae into the agar (or whatever they're growing on). They have a fuzzy texture. The forms that they grow in are referred to as rhizoid or filamentous forms.

Answer by  Erynn (1651)

A bacterial colony is made entirely of breeding bacteria. A fungal colony is made up of fungus - fungus is it's own genus, and includes mushrooms and is related to mold. Bacteria includes E-coli.

Answer by  primatefreak (1616)

Bacterial colonies look wet, shiny, smooth and smaller. Under a microscope they appear as little dots or as an entire circular colony. A fungal colony look different. Under a microscope they appear furry like they have a fuzzy texture.

Answer by  Lordschild (1398)

If you are able to look at the colony with a microscope you could see if the cells have a nucleus or not. The fungal cells will have one. Otherwise if the colony is smooth and round it's probably bacterial and if fuzzy like bread mold it's probably fungus.

Answer by  G12345 (1808)

The difference is the type of cells that are making up the colony. bacterial cells do not have organelle and have cell wall make out of peptidoglycan. Fungi can be yeast or molds and have a distinct cell wall.

Answer by  steadygrindin89 (58)

One of the most understandable differences in bacterial colonies is their non-visibility when the human eye is involved. Fungal colonies are easily identified from their complexion as well as their structure.

Answer by  sadasada (146)

The largest difference between bacterial and fungal colonies is that they arise from different types of organisms. Bacteria and Fungi are separate kingdoms of life. Fungi tend to colonize first through mycelium, before moving on to other stages of their life cycle. Bacteria are a more simple form of a life and form colonies through cell division.