Morphology of the viable but nonculturable Vibrio cholerae as determined bt the freeze fixation technique |
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Authors: | Katsuhiko Kondo Akemi Takade Kazunobu Amako |
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Institution: | Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812, Japan |
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Abstract: | Abstract The morphology of the nonculturable Vibrio cholerae strain TSI-4 was examined by the freeze fixation technique of electron microscopy and subsequently four unique structures were found in the fine structure s of this bacterium. The size of the cell was about 2 3 of the growing cell. Although the cell was observed to have an outer membrane as well as the cell membrane and cytoplasm, the outer membrane was undulated and had a surface layer of fine fibers. The peptidoglycan layer was thick and more electron dense than that of normal cells. |
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Keywords: | Vibrio cholerae Electron microscopy Viable but nonculturable form Freeze fixation |
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