A bacterium with a spherical shape is a coccus (plural, cocci), one having a rod.

Apart from medical use, bacteria identification is utilized when monitoring bacterial cultures in food production. Bacteria have three basic shapes: spherical, rod-shaped, and spiral-shaped. This exercise is vital, especially in the medical sector, as it helps practitioners make an informed diagnosis of bacterial infections. Purpose: In this lab you will explore the three basic shapes of bacteria. But don’t panic when we say that this type of bacteria might be present inside your body at this very moment. Lab 2 - Bacteria for Breakfast - Exploring Bacteria Shape. This experiment aids in the cell identification and classification process. Bacteriodetes is a type of rod-shaped and gram-negative bacteria that can be either aerobic or anaerobic and can be found in the soil, sediments and in seawater. The findings are consistent with information available in the discussion section of the lab manual, which cites the existence of three common bacteria shapes and arrangements cocci, spirals, and bacilli (Carolina, 2017) The dependence of bacterial shape on the peptidoglycan is shown by the transformation of rod-shaped bacteria to spherical protoplasts (spheroplasts) after. The three identified included the bacillus, coccus, and spiral: Bacillus is a rod-shaped cell coccus is a spherical cell, while spiral cells are shaped like coils. Through the microscopic lens, smeared cells were identified and documented in tables as recommended. The Figure below shows four of the common and characteristic shapes of bacteria: cocci (spherical), rods, vibrio (comma shaped) and spiral. The study material for the experiment included readily available slides with embedded specimens hence eliminating the need for external sourcing. The identification process was aided by the use of a microscope-one of the best ways of identifying bacteria, as recommended in the discussion section of the lab report is through their cell shapes.

Bacteria shapes