Ultrastructural features of microbial colony organization.
The ultrastructure of microbial colonies was studied. Inside the colonies three types of intercellular contacts were demonstrated. In the colonies of Gram-negative bacteria, the cells were found to be connected by tight adhesions of outer membranes of the cell walls and membrane bridges. In the colonies of Gram-positive bacteria, the intercellular contacts were formed by fusion of peptidoglucan layers of the cell walls. Bacterial cells were differentiated by the presence of a capsule-like envelope. The obtained data indicate the existence of elements of cellular cooperation and specialization in microbial colonies.
Tetz
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VV
1st Pavlov Medical Institute, Leningrad, USSR.
Rybalchenko
O V
OV
Savkova
G A
GA
D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001951:Brevibacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure