SPIROBACTERIA Meaning and
Definition
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Spirobacteria is a term used to describe a group of bacteria that are characterized by their distinctive spiral or corkscrew shape. They belong to the phylum Spirochaetes, which is a diverse bacterial phylum comprising a variety of free-living and pathogenic species. The spiral shape of spirobacteria is achieved through a unique internal structural arrangement in which the cell's protoplasmic cylinder is surrounded by an outer sheath.
Spirobacteria are Gram-negative bacteria, meaning that they do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining technique. They typically have a flexible cell wall that contains peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharides. This feature, along with the presence of unique flagella called axial filaments or endoflagella, allows spirobacteria to exhibit a corkscrew-like motility, enabling them to move actively in various environments.
Spirobacteria possess diverse metabolic capabilities, including both aerobic and anaerobic respiration, as well as fermentation. Some spirobacteria are free-living and play important roles in nutrient cycling and microbial ecology, while others are known to be pathogenic to humans and animals. Well-known examples of pathogenic spirobacteria include Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, and Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease.
In summary, spirobacteria are a group of spiral-shaped bacteria belonging to the phylum Spirochaetes. They possess unique structural features, exhibit corkscrew-like motility, and can have both beneficial and harmful interactions with their hosts.
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The spiral or curved bacterial forms, including the spirilla, the spirochetes, and the vibrios.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for SPIROBACTERIA
- Spierobacteria
- apirobacteria
- zpirobacteria
- xpirobacteria
- dpirobacteria
- epirobacteria
- wpirobacteria
- soirobacteria
- slirobacteria
- s-irobacteria
- s0irobacteria
- spurobacteria
- spjrobacteria
- spkrobacteria
- sporobacteria
- sp9robacteria
- sp8robacteria
- spieobacteria
- spidobacteria
- spifobacteria
Etymology of SPIROBACTERIA
The word "Spirobacteria" is derived from two roots: "spiro" and "bacteria".
1. "Spiro" is derived from the Greek word "speira", meaning spiral or coil. It refers to the characteristic spiral-shaped structure of the bacteria belonging to the genus Spirochaetes.
2. "Bacteria" comes from the Greek word "bakterion", meaning small rod or staff. Bacteria are microscopic organisms that are typically rod-shaped, but can also have other shapes, including a spiral shape in the case of Spirochaetes.
Combining these two roots, "Spirobacteria" is used to categorize a group of bacteria that have a spiral or coiled shape.
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