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A coccus (plural cocci, from the Latin coccinus (scarlet) and derived from the Greek kokkos (berry)) is any microorganism (usually bacteria) [1] whose overall shape is spherical or nearly spherical. [2] [3] [4] Coccus refers to the shape of the bacteria, and can contain multiple genera, such as staphylococci or streptococci. Cocci can grow in ...
[31] [32] [33] Bacteria may alter their shape by simpler transitions from rod to coccoid (and vice versa) as in Escherichia coli, [34] by more complex transitions while establishing multicellularity [31] or by the development of specialized cells, structures or appendages where the population presents a pleomorphic lifestyle. [35]
Bacteria come in a wide variety of shapes. Perhaps the most elemental structural property of bacteria is their morphology (shape). Typical examples include: coccus (circle or spherical) bacillus (rod-like) coccobacillus (between a sphere and a rod) spiral (corkscrew-like) filamentous (elongated)
Merismopedia (from the Greek merismos [division] and the Greek pedion [plain]) is a genus of cyanobacteria found in fresh and salt water. It is ovoid or spherical in shape and arranged in rows and flats, forming rectangular colonies held together by a mucilaginous matrix.
Micrococcus is a genus of bacteria in the Micrococcaceae family. Micrococcus occurs in a wide range of environments, including water, dust, and soil. Micrococci have Gram-positive spherical cells ranging from about 0.5 to 3 micrometers in diameter and typically appear in tetrads.
Streptococcus is a genus of gram-positive or spherical bacteria that belongs to the family Streptococcaceae, within the order Lactobacillales (lactic acid bacteria), in the phylum Bacillota. [2] Cell division in streptococci occurs along a single axis , thus when growing they tend to form pairs or chains, which may appear bent or twisted.
Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is a Gram-positive, spherical bacteria, alpha-hemolytic member of the genus Streptococcus. [1] S. pneumoniae cells are usually found in pairs and do not form spores and are non motile. [2]
A small number of other unusual shapes have been described, such as star-shaped bacteria. [42] This wide variety of shapes is determined by the bacterial cell wall and cytoskeleton and is important because it can influence the ability of bacteria to acquire nutrients, attach to surfaces, swim through liquids and escape predators. [43] [44]