Chapter 28.4, Problem 1CYP

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The three basic shapes of bacteria.

Introduction:

Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms lacking the chlorophyll pigments. The cell structure of these organisms is simpler than that of the other organisms. They have no nucleus or membrane-bound organelles. The bacterial cell shape is primarily determined by a protein named MreB. Most bacteria have three major shapes, namely the rod or bacillus, the sphere or coccus, and the spiral type.