HES 032-Microbiology and Parasitology

College of Nursing
2022-2023
RAD Learning (AY:_________)

Group Leader: MASCARDO, ANNIKA SABRINA

___________________________________

LAZAGA, LOUISE CARATOL

Group Members: _______________________________________
MAGSAYO, JILIAN TRICKSY SULA-SULA
_______________________________________
MAN-ON, ANGELA SWING
_______________________________________
MANGLE, SHANAIA NICOLE LOMA
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

ACTIVITY NO. 3: Bacterial Cell Morphology

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: At the end of the laboratory period, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the different morphology of bacteria.
2. Illustrate the different morphology of bacteria.
3. Describe the arrangement of the different morphology type of bacteria observed in a
microscope.
4. Identify the representative microorganisms for each morphology type.

DISCUSSION:

Bacteria are a large, diverse group of single – celled microorganisms. They usually multiply by
binary fission, a process in which the parent body divides into two identical independent cells. A
bacterium is a single organism. When many bacteria grow from a single organism, they form a
colony. In terms of cell type, they are considered as prokaryotes that are classified under its
own domain.

With the compound light microscope, the size, shape, and morphologic arrangement of various
bacteria are easily observed. Bacteria vary greatly in size, usually ranging from spheres
measuring about 0.2 μm in diameter to 10.0 μm-long spiral-shaped bacteria, to even longer
filamentous bacteria. They may be spherical coccus (plural: cocci, meaning berries), rod-
shaped bacillus (plural: bacilli, meaning little rods or walking sticks), and spiral.

Compiled by: Claire Mae Caval, RMT

Microbiology and Parasitology – Instructor
Southwestern University PHINMA
 Morphologic type Representative organisms
1. Cocci
a. Staphylococci Staphylococcus aureus
b. Streptococci Streptococcus pyogenes
c. Diplococci Streptococcus pneumoniae
d. Sarcina Sarcina lutea
e. Tetrads Gaffkya tetragena

2. Bacilli
a. Streptobacilli Bacillus subtilis
b. Diplobacilli
i.Snapping Mycobacterium tuberculosis
ii.Slipping Mycobacterium tuberculosis
c. Coccobacilli Escherichia coli
d. Vibrio Vibrio cholerae

3. Spirals
a. Spirillum Campylobacter spp.
b. Spirochete
i.Treponema Treponema pallidum
ii.Borrelia Borrelia spp.
iii.Leptospira Leptospira interrogans

The shape of a bacterium is determined by heredity. Genetically, most bacteria are

monomorphic; that is, they maintain a single shape. However, a number of environmental
conditions can alter that shape. If the shape is altered, identification becomes difficult.
Moreover, some bacteria, such as Rhizobium, Corynebacterium, and Mycoplasma, are
genetically pleomorphic, which means they can have many shapes, not just one.

References:
Engelkirk, P., & Engelkirk, J. (2015). Burton's Microbiology for the Health and Sciences. 10th ed., Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins
Tortora G., F. B. (2016). Microbiology an Introduction, 12th Edition. United States of America: Pearson Education

Tille, P.M. (2014). Bailey & Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology, 13th Edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier Mosby Inc.

Compiled by: Claire Mae Caval, RMT

Microbiology and Parasitology – Instructor
Southwestern University PHINMA
OBSERVATIONS:

1. Illustrate the different morphology of bacteria.

Staphylococci Streptococci Diplococci

Sarcina Tetrad Coccobacilli

Streptobacilli Snapping Slipping

Compiled by: Claire Mae Caval, RMT

Microbiology and Parasitology – Instructor
Southwestern University PHINMA
 Vibrio Spirillum Spirochete

STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the effect of antibiotics that targets cell wall to pleomorphic type of bacteria.

Many antibiotics, including penicillin, work by attacking the cell wall of bacteria. Specifically, the drugs
prevent the bacteria from synthesizing a molecule in the cell wall called peptidoglycan, which provides
the wall with the strength it needs to survive in the human body.

2. What is the distinguishing feature of spirochete?

Spirochetes are unique in that they have endocellular flagella (axial fibrils, or axial filaments),
which number between 2 and more than 100 per organism, depending upon the species. Each
axial fibril attaches at an opposite end and winds around the cell body, which is enclosed by an
envelope

3. How can you describe the arrangements of the following morphology types with a
microscope?
- Staphylococcus are often in clusters resembling bunch of grapes, and appear in
a. Staphylococcus spherical shape.
b. Streptococcus - Appear spherical, ovoid, or cocci shaped, and sometimes in the axis of a chain.
c. Streptobacillus - Arranged in chains or clumps, and often described as "string of beads" or necklace.
d. Coccobacillus - Coccobacillus are arranged in a cuboidal manner.
e. Vibrio - Often appear as curved, or comma-shaped rods with a single polar flagellum.
f. Treponema spp. - Treponema are helically coiled and corkscrew-shaped cells.
g. Borrelia spp. - Arranged in helical shape, and consist of a protoplasmic cell cylinder surrounded
by periplasm.

Compiled by: Claire Mae Caval, RMT

Microbiology and Parasitology – Instructor
Southwestern University PHINMA