Fine structure of Thermus aquaticus, an extreme thermophile.
Electron microscopic studies using thin sections revealed that Thermus aquaticus has a structure similar to that of most other gram-negative bacteria. The cell envelope is tripartite: plasma membrane, thin middle layer, and a thicker and irregular outer layer. The outer layer appears to be joined to the plasma membrane by a series of connections and, when seen in tangential section, the outer layer appears as a series of parallel bands. The cell division mechanism resembles that of typical gram-negative bacteria. Large spherical bodies designated "rotund bodies" are formed as a result of the association of a number of separate cells. In this association the outer envelope layers of the cells fuse and pull away from the middle layer. The rotund body thus appears as a series of rods, usually lying in parallel around the periphery of the sphere, completely connected by means of the fused outer layer.
D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002462:Cell Membrane; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D003593:Cytoplasm; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D012270:Ribosomes