coccus
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GC: n

S: http://schoolworkhelper.net/bacteria-bacilli-spirilla-cocci/ (last access: 25 June 2016); NCBI – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=538669 (last access: 1 November 2019).

N: 1. From New Latin, from Ancient Greek κόκκος ‎(kókkos, “grain, seed”).
2. Coccus, plural Cocci, in microbiology, a spherical-shaped bacterium. Many species of bacteria have characteristic arrangements that are useful in identification. Pairs of cocci are called diplococci; rows or chains of such cells are called streptococci; grapelike clusters of cells, staphylococci; packets of eight or more cells, sarcinae; and groups of four cells in a square arrangement, tetrads. These characteristic groupings occur as a result of variations in the reproduction process in bacteria.
3. It is one of the three basic forms of bacteria, the other two being bacillus (rod-shaped) and spirillum (spiral-shaped). Almost all of the pathogenic cocci are either staphylococci, which occur in clusters, or streptococci, which occur in short or long chains. Both staphylococci and streptococci are gram-positive and do not form spores.
4. Cultural Interrelation: We can mention House Training, a third season episode of House, M.D. which first aired on April 24, 2007. House’s patient, named Lupe, died from staphylococcus and “some bad decisions”.

S: 1. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/coccus (last access: 25 June 2016). 2. EncBrit – http://global.britannica.com/science/coccus-bacterial-shape (last access: 25 June 2016). 3. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 25 June 2016). 4. http://house.wikia.com/wiki/House_Training (last access: 26 June 2016).

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CR: bacillus, bacterium, gonorrhea.