Formation and structure of mixed bacterial communities.
Mixed bacterial communities are formed by unrelated bacteria on solid media. Mixed bacterial communities on solid media are similar to "classical" colonies and are formed after the growth of a large number of unrelated bacteria simultaneously plated onto a limited area of agar. The morphology of the mixed bacterial communities was similar for different combinations of bacteria and did not change when the bacteria were plated on different media. Different bacterial strains form zones of individual and mixed growth in the structure of mixed bacterial communities. The results of electron microscopic examination indicate that mixed bacterial communities are isolated from their external environment by a surface film. The basic part of this film is formed by an elementary membrane. The membrane of the surface film of mixed bacterial communities is a stable structure occupying a large surface area. The results of this investigation seem to indicate the existence of a special type of co-operation between different species of bacteria. This type of co-operation may be very important in the regulation of interactions between different bacteria and between bacteria and the environment.
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Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, St. Petersburg I.P. Pavlov State Medical University, Russia.
D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001951:Brevibacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D016982:Micrococcus luteus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure