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Module Three - MCB221 Lecture Notes

The document discusses the morphology and classification of bacteria and fungi, detailing various bacterial shapes, arrangements, and colony characteristics. It also covers the structure of viruses, emphasizing their genetic material, protein coat, and optional envelope, which are crucial for their replication and infection of host cells. Understanding these features is essential for identifying microorganisms and developing medical interventions.

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54 views4 pages

Module Three - MCB221 Lecture Notes

The document discusses the morphology and classification of bacteria and fungi, detailing various bacterial shapes, arrangements, and colony characteristics. It also covers the structure of viruses, emphasizing their genetic material, protein coat, and optional envelope, which are crucial for their replication and infection of host cells. Understanding these features is essential for identifying microorganisms and developing medical interventions.

Uploaded by

Amina bello Koko
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Dr. S. Idris, Dept.

of Microbiology, KASU

Module Three
• Shapes, groupings and colonial morphology of bacteria and fungi.
• Structure of viruses.
Shapes, Groupings and Colonial Morphology of Bacteria and Fungi

The microbial world offers almost endless variety in terms of morphology. Bacteria exhibit a
variety of shapes and arrangements, which are important characteristics used in their
identification and classification. These features also help in understanding their behaviour and
pathogenicity.

1. Bacterial Cell Shapes

The shape of bacteria is determined by their cell wall structure. Here are the seven
shapes and common arrangements of bacteria:

1. Coccus (plural: Cocci): These are spherical or round-shaped bacteria. Examples


include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Micrococci sp.
2. Bacillus (plural: Bacilli): These are rod-shaped bacteria. Examples include Klebsiella
sp. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus
megaterium
3. Spirillum (plural: Spirilla): These are spiral-shaped, rigid bacteria. Examples include
Spirillum minus, Campylobacter jejuni.
4. Vibrio: These are comma-shaped or curved rods. Examples include Vibrio cholerae.
5. Spirochete: Spiral-shaped, flexible, and helical bacteria. Examples include Treponema
pallidum (the causative agent of syphilis), Borrelia burgdorferi (the causative agent of
Lyme disease).
6. Filamentous: These are long, thin, thread-like bacteria. Examples include Actinomyces
sp., Streptomyces sp. Filamentous bacteria typically form long filaments called hyphae
that may branch to produce a network called mycelium. In this sense, they are similar
to filamentous fungi
7. Pleomorphic: These are bacteria that can change shape depending on environmental
conditions. An interesting group of bacteria that lack cell walls. Examples Mycoplasma
pneumoniae.

Bacterial cell arrangement

The grouping of bacteria depends on the plane of cell division and whether the cells remain
attached after division. Bacteria can exist as individual cells but also are associated with
Dr. S. Idris, Dept. of Microbiology, KASU

characteristic arrangements that are frequently useful in their identification. Here are common
arrangements that exist.

1. Diplococci: A form of arrangement that arises when cocci divide and remain together
to form pairs.
2. Streptococci: A pattern of arrangement consisting of long chains of cocci that arise
when cells adhere after repeated divisions in one plane.
3. Staphylococcus: In this arrangement, the cell divides in random planes to generate
irregular grapelike clumps/bunches as seen in S. aureus.
4. Tetrads: Divisions in two planes can produce symmetrical clusters of square groups of
four cells as seen in Micrococcus luteus
5. Sarcinae: This is a form of arrangement in which cocci divide in three planes producing
cubical packets of eight cells.
6. Palisades: this is an arrangement in which bacteria lined up side by side, resembling a
picket fence Examples Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Size
Bacteria vary in size as much as in shape. Escherichia coli is a rod of about average size, 1.1
to 1.5µm wide by 2.0 to 6.0µm long. Microbes with an average size of about 0.3µm were
considered the smallest in diameter, However, even smaller procaryotes have been discovered.
For example, nanobacteria range from around 0.2 nm to less than 0.05 µm in diameter. The
discovery of nanobacteria was quite surprising because theoretical calculations predicted that
the smallest cells were about 0.14 to 0.2µm in diameter.

Colony morphology
Bacterial colony morphology refers to the visible characteristics of a bacterial colony when
grown on a solid culture medium, such as agar. These characteristics are used to identify and
differentiate bacterial species. Colony morphology is influenced by factors like the type of
bacteria, growth conditions, and the composition of the medium. Colony morphology is
normally reported based on colour, opacity, size, shape, margin, elevation, surface texture,
and consistency. The morphology of bacterial colony is mostly influenced by a number of
factors that include the following: Type of Medium, Incubation Conditions, Bacterial Species,
Age of Colony
Dr. S. Idris, Dept. of Microbiology, KASU

Typical Examples of Bacterial Colony Morphology


Color (Pigmentation) (White, Yellow, Red, Pink, Green, Black)
Size usually measured in millimeters (mm). Colonies can range from pinpoint (very small) to
large
Shape (circular, irregular, rhizoid and filamentous)
Margin (Edge) e.g: smooth (entire), undulate (wavy), lobate (lobed), filamentous, curled
Elevation (Flat, Raised, Convex, Umbonate, Crateriform)
Surface Texture (Smooth, Rough, Wrinkled, Mucoid (slimy), Dry
Opacity Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
Consistency Butyrous (buttery), Friable (crumbly), Viscous (sticky)

Fungal Colony Morphology


This follows the same pattern as in the case of bacteria. However, there are some peculiarities
such as reverse pigmentation and rate of growth that are taken into account while describing
the colonies.
Structure of Viruses
The structure of a virus is stylishly designed to ensure its survival, replication, and
transmission. Despite their simplicity, viruses are highly efficient at infecting host cells and
causing disease. Understanding viral structure is crucial for developing antiviral drugs,
vaccines, and diagnostic tools. The structure of a virus is relatively simple but highly organized,
consisting of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat and, in some cases, an outer
envelope. Viruses are unique infectious agents that are much smaller than bacteria and lack the
cellular structure of living organisms. They are obligate intracellular parasites, meaning they
can only replicate inside the cells of a host organism.
• Viral Genetic Material
The genetic material carries the information necessary for the virus to replicate and
produce new viral particles. In other words, The genetic material contains the
instructions for hijacking the host cell's machinery to produce new viral particles. The
core of a virus contains its genetic material, which can be either: DNA (single-stranded
or double-stranded) or RNA (single-stranded or double-stranded).
• Viral Protein (Capsid)
The capsid is a protein shell that surrounds and protects the genetic material. It is made
up of repeating protein subunits called capsomeres. the capsid gives the virus its shape
and plays a role in attaching to host cells. Capsid Shapes may be Icosahedral (spherical
Dr. S. Idris, Dept. of Microbiology, KASU

shape with 20 triangular faces e.g., adenovirus, poliovirus); Helical (rod-like or spiral
shape e.g., tobacco mosaic virus, Ebola virus). Complex (combination of shapes, often
with additional structures e.g., bacteriophages). Some viruses carry enzymes necessary
for replication, such as reverse transcriptase (in retroviruses like HIV), RNA-
dependent RNA polymerase (in RNA viruses like SARS-CoV-2).

• Envelope (Optional)
Some viruses have a lipid bilayer membrane that surrounds the capsid. This envelope
is mostly derived from the host cell membrane during viral budding. It contains viral
proteins, such as glycoproteins, which help the virus attach to and enter host cells.
Examples of enveloped viruses: Influenza virus, HIV, herpesvirus.

Fig. 1: A generalized Structure of a Virus

End.

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