Skip to content
1887

Journal of Medical Microbiology logo Journal of Medical Microbiology

Volume 23, Issue 2

The effect of antibiotics on the cell morphology of No Access

Abstract

Summary

, in Buffered Yeast Extract broth, was treated for 5 h at 37°C with rosaramicin, erythromycin, cefotaxime, dibekacin, penicillin, methicillin, cefoxitin, cephalothin, ticarcillin, carbenicillin or polymyxin B at near-MIC levels and above. Electronmicroscopy demonstrated morphological changes to the bacteria in some, but not all, of the antibiotic-treated suspensions. Penicillin, at 1000 µ/ml (40 × MIC) but not less, produced smooth bubble-like structures on cell surfaces; methicillin produced rough bubble-like structures at 100 µ/ml (MIC) but not at 1000 µ/ml. In each case, these structures resembled spheroplasts. Polymyxin B induced small-bleb formation on the bacterial cell surfaces at all concentrations tested (MIC-10 × MIC). The other eight antibiotics did not induce any morphological changes at any concentration tested.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
© J. MED. MICROBIOL. 1987
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-23-2-149
1987-03-01
2025-01-21
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Chandler F. W., Cole R. M., Hicklin M. D., Blackmon J. A., Callaway C. S. 1979; Ultrastructure of the Legionnaires’ Disease bacterium: a study using transmission electron microscopy. Annals of Internal Medicine 90:642–647
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Flesher A. R., Ito S., Mansheim B. J., Kasper D. L. 1979; The cell envelope of the Legionnaires’ Disease bacterium: morphologic and biochemical characteristics. Annals of Internal Medicine 90:628–630
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Fu K. P., Neu H. C. 1979; Interaction of beta-lactam antibiotics by Legionella pneumophila. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 16:561–564
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Hsuchen C. C., Feingold D. S. 1973; The mechanism of polymyxin B action and selectivity toward biologic membranes. Biochemistry 12:2105–2111
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Keel J. A., Finnerty W. R., Feeley J. C. 1979; Fine structure of the Legionnaires’ Disease bacterium: in vitro and in vivo studies of four isolates. Annals of Internal Medicine 90:652–655
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Kitano K., Tomasz A. 1979; Triggering of autolytic cell wall degradation in Escherichia coli by beta-lactam antibiotics. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 16:838–848
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Koike M., Iida K., Matsuo T. 1969; Electron microscopic studies on mode of action of polymyxin. Journal of Bacteriology 97:448–452
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Lounatmaa K., Makela P. H., Sarvas M. 1976; Effect of polymyxin on the ultrastructure of the outer membrane of wild-type and polymyxin-resistant strains of Salmonella. Journal of Bacteriology 127:1400–1407
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Moss C. W., Dees S. B. 1979; Further studies of the cellular fatty acid composition of Legionnaires’ Disease bacteria. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 9:648–649
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Moss C. W., Weaver R. E., Dees S. B., Cherry W. B. 1977; Cellular fatty acid composition of isolates from Legionnaires’ Disease. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 6:140–143
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Newton B. A. 1956; The properties and mode of action of the polymyxins. Bacteriological Reviews 20:14–27
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Nishino T., Nakazawa S. 1976; Bacteriological study on effects of beta-lactam group antibiotics in high concentrations. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 9:1033–1042
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Warren W. J., Miller R. D. 1979; Growth of Legionnaires’ Disease bacterium (Legionella pneumophila) in chemically defined medium. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 10:50–55
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Pasculle A. W. 1980; Pittsburgh Pneumonia Agent: direct isolation from human lung tissue. Journal of Infectious Diseases 141:727–732
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-23-2-149
Loading
The effect of antibiotics on the cell morphology of Legionella pneumophila
J. Med. Microbiol. 23, 149 (1987); https://doi.org/10.1099/00222615-23-2-149
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-23-2-149
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-23-2-149
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Most cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error