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Coccus

Translation
Coccus
Arrangement of cocci bacteria.svg
Staphylococcus bacteria

Coccus (plural cocci) can be used to describe any bacterium that has a spherical shape. It is one of the three distinct types of bacteria shapes, the other two being bacillus (rod-shaped) and spirillum (spiral-shaped) cells. Coccus is an English loanword of a Neolatin noun, which in turn stems from the Greek masculine noun kokkos (κόκκος) meaning "berry".[1]

The term 'coccus' is used in botany to denote a mericarp or 1-seeded segment of a schizocarp.

Arrangement

Like all bacteria, each single coccus bacterium is an entire living organism. However, some species exist in groups of cells. If they do group together [2], the patterns they arrange themselves in are given certain names based on the shape. Diplococci are arranged in two-cell pairs; these may represent several different genera. Bacteria in the Streptococcus genus are arranged in chains. Bacteria in the Sarcina genus typically form a cuboidal arrangement of eight cells. Staphylococcus is a genus of bacteria characterized by cells arranged in tetrad clusters (four cells in a square formation) or large, often irregular, clusters. While groups of cells together form these characteristic shapes, the individual bacterial cells themselves will appear as distinct circles within the chain or cluster.

References

  1. ^ κόκκος. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at Perseus Project
  2. ^ Councilman, William Thomas. Disease and Its Causes. Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15283/15283-h/15283-h.htm. Retrieved 27 March 2010. 

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Coccus — Coc cus, n.; pl. {Cocci}. [NL., fr. Gr. ? grain, seed. See {Cochineal}.] 1. (Bot.) One of the separable carpels of a dry fruit. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of hemipterous insects, including scale insects, and the cochineal insect… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Coccus — Coccus, Gattung der Halbdeckflügler od. Schnabelkerfe, s. Schildlaus. Daher Coccusroth, der rothe Farbestoff der Coccus Arten, so v. w. Karmin, s.d …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • coccus — noun; pl. cocci med. кокк …   Англо-русский словарь Мюллера

  • coccus — 1> бакт. кокк 2> бот. орешек …   Новый большой англо-русский словарь

  • Coccus — Coccus, s. Schildläuse …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Coccus — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Coccus peut désigner : en biologie, Coccus est un genre de cochenilles ; en bactériologie, la forme coccus est le singulier de cocci (coque).… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • coccus — ˈkɔkəs сущ.; мед. кокк (бактериология) кокк (ботаника) орешек coccus (pl cocci) мед. кокк …   Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь

  • Coccus — A bacterial cell which has the shape of a sphere. Coccus enters into the name of a number of bacteria. For example, enterococcus, meningococcus, pneumococcus, staphylococcus, and streptococcus. * * * 1. A bacterium of round, spheroidal, or ovoid… …   Medical dictionary

  • coccus — noun (plural cocci) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek kokkos Date: 1888 a spherical bacterium • coccal adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • -coccus — noun combining form (plural cocci) Etymology: New Latin berry shaped microorganism < micrococcus > …   New Collegiate Dictionary