This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yamamoto, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamamoto, T.

Presence of Rhapidosomes in Various Species of Bacteria and Their Morphological Characteristics¹

^a Department of Microbiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

ABSTRACT

Rod-shaped structures have been observed in cells of Pseudomonas, Photobacterium, Proteus, and Saprospira by use of the negative-contrast stain. These structures, referred to as rhapidosomes, appear to be normal components of these cells. Other bacteria including Escherichia, Salmonella, Shigella, Klebsiella, Micrococcus, Bacillus, Mycobacterium, Rhodospirillum, and Hydrogenomonas genera failed to reveal these structures. The rhapidosomes of Saprospira were found to consist of two rods, one encasing a narrower, longer structure. In contrast, the rhapidosomes of Pseudomonas, Proteus, and Photobacterium were without the rigid inner structure, but were occasionally seen filled with a homogeneous material as observed by the negative stain. Ultrathin sections of Pseudomonas cells indicate that these rhapidosomes are embedded within or are in close association with the nucleoplasm.

¹ Previously reported in part at the Canadian Society for Microbiologists, Hamilton, Ontario, in June 1967.