title: Negative staining can cause clumping of Bordetella pertussis fimbriae.
abstract: The state of fimbriae type 2 (Fim 2) and fimbriae type 3 (Fim 3) preparations from Bordetella pertussis were examined by negative stain electron microscopy. Uranyl acetate induced clumping of Fim 3 regardless of pH and was unsuitable as a stain for establishing the state of fimbriae. Both ammonium molybdate and sodium phosphotungstate were able to show the differences in Fim 3 stored at pH 7.2 and pH 9.5.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, CSL Ltd., Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bennet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drane
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pietrzykowski
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seddon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stefancic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001886:Bordetella pertussis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D016624:Negative Staining / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial