Temperature dependence of M pilus formation as demonstrated by electron microscopy.
The formation of IncM plasmid encoded pili is dependent on the incubation temperature of the corresponding host strains. By labelling the short, rigid M pili with the donor specific bacteriophage luminal diameter M, the presence of pili at 30 degrees C but not at 37 degrees C incubation temperature could be demonstrated for E. coli K12 substrains carrying different IncM group plasmids. In contrast, such a temperature dependence of M pilus formation is not observed in S. typhimurium substrains.
D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010957:Plasmids; D012317:RNA Phages / Q000502:physiology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013696:Temperature