title: Electron microscopy analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell division.
abstract: The ultrastructure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cells undergoing division was examined by electron microscopy. Two features of cell division were observed and are described here. First, cells are capable of undergoing a type of "snapping" postfission movement. This movement is likely due to a multi-layered cell wall in which the inner layer participates in septum formation while the outer layer ruptures first on one side. A second feature related to cell division is the ability of dividing cells to form transient branching structures.
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Science Hall, Room 301, Pullman, WA 99164, USA. johndahl@wsu.edu
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure*