Which term describes spiral-shaped bacteria?

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Prepare for the PLTW Biomedical Science Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which term describes spiral-shaped bacteria?

Explanation:
Spirilla describes spiral-shaped bacteria. In microbiology, basic shapes include cocci (spherical), bacilli (rod-shaped), and vibrios (curved rods). Spirilla are the rigid, helical or corkscrew-like bacteria that look like a spring under the microscope and move with a twisting motion thanks to their flagellar arrangement. This distinguishes them from vibrios, which are merely curved rods, and from spirochetes, which are also spiral but flexible and move differently due to axial filaments. So for a spiral form, the term spirilla best fits.

Spirilla describes spiral-shaped bacteria. In microbiology, basic shapes include cocci (spherical), bacilli (rod-shaped), and vibrios (curved rods). Spirilla are the rigid, helical or corkscrew-like bacteria that look like a spring under the microscope and move with a twisting motion thanks to their flagellar arrangement. This distinguishes them from vibrios, which are merely curved rods, and from spirochetes, which are also spiral but flexible and move differently due to axial filaments. So for a spiral form, the term spirilla best fits.

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