Microbiology

GROUP 1
Table of Contents
01 02
Domain Bacteria: Bacterial Morphology
Characteristics

03
Motility
01
DOMAIN
BACTERIA:
CHARACTERISTICS
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 There are two domains of procaryotic organisms: Domain Bacteria and Domain Archaea. The
bacteriologist’s most important reference or as they also call “bacteriologist’s bible” is a five-volume
set of books which is currently being rewritten. When these all five volumes are completed, they will
contain descriptions of more than 5,000 validly named species of bacteria.

According to Berge's Manual, the Domain Bacteria contains 23 phyla, 32 classes, 5 subclasses, 77 orders,
14 duborders, 182 families, 871 genera, and 5,007 species. Organisms in this domain are divided into three
phenotypic categories

*Gram-negative and have a cell wall

*Gram-positive and have a cell wall
*Lack of cell wall
Micro-Biologists have confirmed numerical taxonomy systems that not only help to identify bacteria by
their physical characteristics, but can help establish how closely related these organisms are.

Many Characteristics of bacteria are examined to provide

data of identification and classification.

These includes:

-Cell shape and morphological arrangement

-staining reactions -atmospheric requirements
-motility -nutritional requirements
-colony morphology -biochemical and metabolic activities
-specific enzymes (that organisms produces )
-pathogenicity ( ability to cause disease )
-genetic composition
Remember!!

Basic cell shape, and morphological arrangement of the cells are very important clues to
identify the organisms ( Gram-positive or Gram-negative )
02
BACTERIAL
MORPHOLOGY
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 Bacteria are microscopic unicellular organisms that belong to the kingdom prokaryotes. Because
they are so small, they cannot be seen independently unless seen via a microscope. Bacteria range in
size from 0.2 μm diameter spheres to 10.0-μm-long spiral-shaped bacteria to even longer filamentous
bacteria. As previously mentioned, the average coccus is about 1 μm in diameter, and the average
bacillus is about 1 μm wide x 3 μm long.

Bacteria come in three general shapes:

-Cocci are bacteria that are round or spherical in shape.

-Bacilli are bacteria that are rectangular or rod-shaped.
-Spirilla are bacteria that are curved and spiral-shaped.
 Bacteria divide through binary fission. Asexual reproduction in bacteria is accomplished through
binary fission. A single cell splits into two separate species during binary fission. One cell divides
into two daughter cells after splitting in half. The time it takes for one cell to split into two cells is
referred to as the generation time of that organism.
- Coccus: Also known as cocci.

Spherical bacteria that can form groups of four (tetracocci), pairs (diplococci), grape-like
clusters (Staphylococci), chains (Streptococci), or cubical arrangements of eight or more
(octads).

For instance, Staphylococcus spp (Staphylococcus aureus) and Streptococcus spp

(Streptococcus pyogenes).
- Bacillus (plural, bacilli):
refers to bacteria that are rod-shaped and is derived from the Latin word for stick. They can
exist alone, in pairs (diplobacilli), chains (streptobacilli), lengthy filaments, or branched
structures.

Coccobacilli are rods that are quite short and resemble elongated cocci. Examples of
coccobacilli are Listeria monocytogenes and Haemophilus influenzae.

Some bacilli stack up next to each other, side by side in a palisade arrangement. This is characteristic of
Corynebacterium diphtheriae (the cause of diphtheria) and organisms that resemble it in appearance (we
refer to as diphtheroids).
Spirochetes are the name for spiral-shaped bacteria. Spirochete species differ from one another
in terms of their size, length, rigidity, and the quantity and amplitude of their coils. Some are
tightly packed, like Treponema pallidum, the syphilis-causing agent, which has a flexible cell
wall that allows it to pass easily through tissue.

T. pallidum has a unique morphology and a distinctive motility that revolves around its long
axis. Clinical specimens taken from individuals with primary syphilis were prepared in damp
conditions, making the pallidum simple to identify. While Lyme disease and relapsing fever's
causes, Borrelia spp., are examples of less tightly coiled spirochetes.
Because unfavorable development conditions (such as the presence of specific antibiotics)
inhibit the creation of normal cell walls, some bacteria may lose their distinctive structure. The
term "cell wall-deficient" (CWD) bacteria is used to describe them. Bacteria having altered
shape and cultural traits consistent with damaged or missing cell wall structures are known as
cell wall-deficient bacteria. When given optimal growing conditions, some CWD bacteria go
back to their former shape while others do not. Mycoplasma bacteria lack cell walls, which
causes them to appear in a variety of shapes under a microscope.

A bacterial species is referred to as pleomorphic if its cells come in a variety of forms. Some microbes have
the ability to change their size or shape in reaction to their environment, a process known as pleomorphism.
03

MOTILITY
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MOTILE
- if a bacterium is able to “swim”
- most spiral-shaped bacteria and about one half of the bacilli are motile by means of flagella

NONMOTILE
- if a bacterium is unable to “swim”
- cocci are generally nonmotile

Bacterial motility is most often associated with the presence of flagella or axial filaments,
although some bacteria exhibit a type of gliding motility on secreted slime. Bacteria never
possess cilia. A flagella stain can be used to demonstrate the presence, number, and location of
flagella on bacterial cells.
Motility can be demonstrated by stabbing the bacteria into a
tube of semisolid agar or by using the hanging drop
technique. Growth of bacteria in semisolid agar produces
turbidity. Nonmotile organisms will grow only along the
stab line, but motile organisms will spread away from the
stab line. In the hanging-drop method, a drop of a bacterial
suspension is placed onto a glass coverslip. The coverslip is
then inverted over a depression slide. When the preparation
is examined microscopically, motile bacteria within the
“hanging drop” will be seen darting around in every
direction.