Bacilli

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Bacilli are just one of many external forms of bacteria. On this graphic, bacillus stands for rod bacteria and not the taxon of the same name .

Rod bacteria or bacilli , also Bacilli (from Latin bacillus "rod", reduction of baculum "rod") are rod-shaped bacteria .

Features and systematics

The term bacilli does not include a family group and therefore not a valid taxon , but refers exclusively to the external shape of the bacteria. There is also no uniformity with regard to the Gram stain . Within the gram-negative bacilli, for example, Escherichia coli and Salmonella can be distinguished using MacConkey agar . So bacilli are found in numerous kin groups of bacteria.

Unlike cocci , bacilli usually live individually and not in chains; Deviations from this are called diplobacilli, streptobacilli or palisades according to the shape of their associations (see also graphic).

Some genera of gram-positive bacilli

Some genera of gram-negative bacilli

Delimitation of the term

The choice of words with the correct spelling must be made carefully. Bacillus refers to just one of many types of bacilli, while Bacilli (derived from the plural for Bacillus “rods”) includes a class of bacteria that includes not only bacilli (including Bacillus ) but also cocci (spheroidal bacteria). When reading English-language texts, confusion can arise, as here bacilli ( lower case ) also generally refers to bacilli (rod- shaped bacteria).

literature

  • Michael T. Madigan, John M. Martinko, Jack Parker: Brock Microbiology. German translation edited by Werner Goebel. 1st edition. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag GmbH, Heidelberg / Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-8274-0566-1 , pp. 65, 558-560, 1055.
  • Hans G. Schlegel, Christiane Zaborosch: General microbiology , 7th edition. Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart / New York 1992. ISBN 3-13-444607-3
  • Horst Bayrhuber, Eckhard R. Lucius: Microorganisms in the classroom. Handbook of practical microbiology and biotechnology , volume 3. Metzler-Schulbuchverlag, Hanover 1992. ISBN 3-8156-3351-6

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter H. Raven, Ray F. Evert, Susan E. Eichhorn: Biology of plants . Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 2006. p. 295.
  2. ↑ S. James Booth: Gram Negative Bacilli. Introduction to Disease Processes . NYU School of Medicine, 2006.
  3. ^ GJ Totora: Microbiology - An Introduction. Pearson Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco 2004. Chapter 4. Functional anatomy of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells .