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J Bacteriol. 1972 July; 111(1): 254-259
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Morphology and Ultrastructure of Human T-Mycoplasmas

Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark, and Biophysics Department, Statens Seruminstitut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark

ABSTRACT

Four serologically distinct human T-mycoplasmas grown in liquid medium were studied in the electron microscope after ultrathin sectioning and negative staining. The morphology and ultrastructure of these strains was found to be essentially identical to that of other mycoplasmas; i.e., mainly spherical or ovoid cells were observed, but also short rod-shaped cells and filamentous, partly branched forms were noted. The cells were found to be enveloped by a triple-layered membrane, on the outer surface of which an electron-dense layer consisting of radiating hairlike structures was consistently present. In addition to ribosomes, now and then arranged in a regular geometric pattern, the ultrathin sections reveal vacuole-like structures in the interior of the cells.