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# Microorganisms ## Bacterial Shapes In fact, phenotypically bacteria are classified based on numerous features. For example, cell shape (Figure 2.5), nature of multi cell aggregates, motility, formation of spores, and reaction to the gram stain are some of the most important features that are used...

# Microorganisms ## Bacterial Shapes In fact, phenotypically bacteria are classified based on numerous features. For example, cell shape (Figure 2.5), nature of multi cell aggregates, motility, formation of spores, and reaction to the gram stain are some of the most important features that are used to classify bacteria. Therefore, bacterial cells can be grouped into the following three main shapes: - Cocci (singular, coccus) - spherical bacteria - Bacilli (singular, bacillus) - rod-shaped bacteria - Spirochaetes - spiral or corkscrew-shaped bacteria ### Self-Assessment Questions 1. Do all bacteria have the same shapes? 2. What are the three basic shapes of bacteria? Is there any other more shapes? How do the bacterial cells cluster ### Activity 2.3: Finding out more about bacteria Streptococcus and Lactobacillus are the two well-researched types of bacteria. Carry out a library search to find out what shapes these two bacteria have, and why they are so important to us. Also, try to find two diseases caused by spiral-shaped bacteria. ## Biology Grade 12 ### Unit 2: Microorganisms - Coccus (Spherical) - Bacillus(road) - Spirochete