Fine structure of the Legionnaires' disease bacterium. In-vitro and in-vivo studies of four isolates.
We obtained four bacterial isolates from patients with Legionnaires' disease and examined them for in-vitro and in-vivo fine-structure characteristics. All isolates had an outer membrane, cytoplasmic membrane, and intracellular membrane structure. Numerous intracellular inclusions were seen, particularly from in-vivo specimens, and appeared membrane-limited. Fine-structure analysis did not reveal the presence of a definitive peptidoglycan structure. Isolation, purification, and chemical analysis of Legionnaires' disease bacterium pepdoglycan established molar ratios of alanine-glutamic acid and muramic acid-glucosamine. Diaminopimelic acid was absent in the Legionnaires' disease bacterium peptidoglycan. The Kellenberger procedure for fixation appears to be the best method for the fine-structure determination of Legionnaires' disease bacteria.
D000409:Alanine / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000032:analysis; D005971:Glutamates / Q000032:analysis; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007877:Legionnaires' Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D009112:Muramic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000032:analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
D005971:Glutamates; D009112:Muramic Acids; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid; D005944:Glucosamine; D000409:Alanine