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Chapter: Microbiology and Immunology: Morphology and Physiology of Bacteria

Shape of Bacteria

Shape of Bacteria
Depending on their shape, bacteria are classified into several types.

Shape of Bacteria

Depending on their shape, bacteria are classified into several types (Fig. 2-6):

Cocci: The cocci (kokkos, berry) are oval or spherical cells.These may be arranged in pairs (e.g., pneumococci, menin-gococci, and gonococci), tetrads (micrococci), chains (e.g., streptococci), and clusters (e.g., staphylococci).

Bacilli: The bacilli (bacillus,rod) are rod shaped. These bacillimay show either of the following arrangement:

1.     Coccobacilli: Length of the bacteria is approximately the sameas its width, e.g., Brucella.

2.     Streptobacilli: These are arranged in chains, e.g.,Streptobacillus.

3.     Comma shaped: They exhibit curved appearance, e.g., Vibrio.

4.     Spirilla: They exhibit rigid spiral forms, e.g.,Spirillum.

Spirochetes: Spirochetes (spira,coil;chaite,hair) are slender,flexuous spiral forms, e.g., Treponema.

Actinomycetes: Actinomycetes (actin,ray;mykes,fungus) arebranching filamentous bacteria resembling fungi. They possess a rigid cell wall.




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