SPHEROPLAST Meaning and
Definition
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A spheroplast refers to a spherical or rounded bacterium or yeast cell that lacks a complete cell wall. It is a cellular structure that typically arises through the removal or disruption of the cell wall, resulting in a modified form of a microorganism. Spheroplasts are primarily the product of enzymatic treatments or mechanical disruption, which aim to selectively remove the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial or fungal cell wall while leaving behind the plasma membrane intact.
In bacteria, the spheroplast morphology is commonly observed in Gram-negative species, which have a structurally distinct cell wall consisting of a thin peptidoglycan layer surrounded by an outer membrane. Treatment with lysozyme or other cell wall-targeting agents can cause the degradation of the peptidoglycan layer, resulting in spheroplast formation. Similarly, in yeast, spheroplasts can be generated through the enzymatic digestion of the cell wall with zymolyase or other cell wall-degrading enzymes.
Due to the absence or impairment of the cell wall, spheroplasts are more fragile and sensitive to osmotic stress compared to intact cells. They require specialized growth conditions and media, often with an increased osmolarity, to survive and propagate. Spheroplasts have been widely utilized in various scientific research applications, such as the study of microbial cell wall synthesis, genetic transformation, protein localization, and the investigation of drug sensitivities.
Common Misspellings for SPHEROPLAST
- apheroplast
- zpheroplast
- xpheroplast
- dpheroplast
- epheroplast
- wpheroplast
- soheroplast
- slheroplast
- s-heroplast
- s0heroplast
- spgeroplast
- spberoplast
- spneroplast
- spjeroplast
- spueroplast
- spyeroplast
- sphwroplast
- sphsroplast
- sphdroplast
- sphrroplast
Etymology of SPHEROPLAST
The word "Spheroplast" is derived from two combining forms: "Sphero-" and "-plast".
1. "Sphero-" is derived from the Greek word "sphaira", meaning "a ball" or "a sphere". It is often used as a prefix in scientific terms to imply a spherical or rounded shape.
2. "-plast" is derived from the Greek word "plastos", which means "molded" or "formed". "-plast" is commonly used as a suffix in scientific terminology to denote a cell or structure that has been physically modified or altered.
Combining these two components, "Spheroplast" typically refers to a bacterial cell that has undergone partial or complete removal of its rigid cell wall, resulting in a rounded or spherical shape. The term originated in the field of microbiology and bacterial cell biology.
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