Skip to content
1887

Abstract

Microdensitometry showed that the membrane profiles of normal cultivable mycobacteria were very asymmetric (outer layer denser and thicker than the inner layer), while the profiles of normal-looking in lepromatous patients, in experimentally infected armadillos and in nude mice were approximately symmetric; moreover, the membrane of was thicker than that of cultivable species. Using two cytochemical methods for the ultrastructural detection of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive molecules (the Thiry procedure, and staining with phosphotungstic acid at low pH) we found that the membrane of cultivable mycobacteria, growing or , had PAS-positive components exclusively in the outer layer, while the normal-looking in patients and in armadillos had membranes with PAS-positive components in both layers. The membranes of damaged cultivable mycobacteria, or , and of damaged , in patients or armadillos, were PAS-negative.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-2-369
1984-02-01
2025-02-12
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/micro/130/2/mic-130-2-369.html?itemId=/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-2-369&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Cohn Z., Benson B. 1965; The differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes. Journal of Experimental Medicine 121:153–169
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Colston M. J., Hilson G.R.S. 1976; Growth ofMycobacterium leprae andM. marinum in congenitally athymic (nude) mice. Nature, London 262:399–401
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Fléchon J.-E., Huneau D. 1974; Validity of phosphotungstic acid staining of polysaccharides (glycogen) at very low pH on thin sections of glycol methacrylate embedded material. Journal de microscopie 19:207–212
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Jopling W. H. 1978 Handbook of Leprosy p. 9 London: Heinemann;
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Luft J. H. 1961; Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology 9:409–414
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Petitprez A., Derieux J. C. 1970; Mise en evidence des polysaccharides sur quelque types de bacteries. Journal de microscopie 9:263–272
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Portaels F., Pattyn S. R. 1981; Parameters influencing thein vitro growth ofM. lepraemurium. . International Journal of Leprosy 49:194–197
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Portaels F., Pattyn S. R. 1982; Isolation of fastidiously growingMycobacteria from armadillo livers infected withMycobacterium leprae. . International Journal of Leprosy 50:370–374
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Rambourg A. 1971; Morphological and histochemi- cal aspects of glycoproteins of the surface of animal cells. International Review of Cytology 31:57–114
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Ridley D. S., Jopling W. H. 1964; Classification of leprosy according to immunity. A five group system. International Journal of Leprosy 34:255–273
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Robertson J. G., Lyttleton P., Williamson K. I., Batt R. D. 1975; The effects of fixation procedures on the electron density of polysaccharide granules inNocardia corallina. . Journal of Ultrastructure Research 52:321–332
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Roland J. C. 1974; Cytochimie des polysaccharides vegetaux: detection et extraction selectives. Journal de microscopie 21:233–244
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Rosseau M., Hermier J. 1975; Localization en microscopie électronique des polysaccharides de la paroi chez les bacteries en sporulation. Journal de microscopie 23:237–248
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Silva M. T. 1967; Electron microscopic aspects of membrane alterations during bacterial cell lysis. Experimental Cell Research 46:245–251
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Silva M. T. 1971; Changes induced in the ultrastructure of the cytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic membranes of several Gram-positive bacteria by variations in Os04 fixation. Journal of Microscopy 93:227–232
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Silva M. T. 1975; Ultrastructure of the membranes of Gram-positive bacteria as influenced by fixatives and membrane-damaging treatments. In Biomembranes - Lipids, Proteins and Receptors pp. 255–289 Edited by Burton R. M., Packer L. Webster Groves, Mo., USA: Bl-Science Publication Division;
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Silva M. T. 1984; The use of transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections for the characterization of the ultrastructure of normal and damaged bacterial membranes. In Biomembranes: Dynamics and Biology Edited by Guerra F. C., Burton R. M. New York: Plenum Press (in the Press);
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M. 1982a; Ultrastructure ofMycobacterium leprae and other acid-fast bacteria as influenced by fixation conditions. Annales de microbiologie 133B:59–73
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M. 1982b; Comparative ultrastructural and cytochemical study of the membranes of Mycobacterium leprae and cultivable Mycobacteria. . XVII Reunião Anual, Sociedade Portuguesa Microscopia Electronica abs. 26
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M. 1983a; Electron microscopic study ofMycobacterium leprae membrane. International Journal of Leprosy 51:219–224
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M. 1983b; The interpretation of the ultrastructure ofMycobacteriumcells in transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin sections. International Journal of Leprosy 51:225–234
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M. 1983c; A comparative ultrastructural study of the membranes of Mycobacterium leprae and of cultivable Mycobacteria. . Biology of the Cell 41:383–386
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Silva M. T., Sousa J.C.F. 1972; Ultrastructural alterations induced by moist heat inBacillus cereus. . Applied Microbiology 24:463–476
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Silva M. T., Sousa J.C.F., Macedo M.A.F., Polónia J., Parente A. M. 1976; Effects of phenethyl alcohol inBacillus andStreptococcus. . Journal of Bacteriology 127:1359–1369
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Silva M. T., Polónia J. J., Kocur M. 1977; The fine structure ofMicrococcus mucilaginosus. . Journal of Submicroscopic Cytology 9:53–66
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Silva M. T., Sousa J.C.F., Balassa G. 1978; Ultrastructural effects of chemical agents and moist heat onBacillus subtilis. I. Effects on vegetative cells. Annales de microbiologie 129B:363–375
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Silva M. T., Polónia J. J., Macedo M.A.E., Macedo P. M. 1979a; Membrane splitting induced by lipophilic molecules. Biologie cellulaire 35:175–182
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Silva M. T., Sousa J.C.F., Polónia J. J., Macedo P. M. 1979b; Effects of local anestheticson bacterial cells. Journal of Bacteriology 137:461–468
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M., Costa M.H.L., Gonsalves H., Torgal J., David H. L. 1982; a)Ultrastructural alterations ofMycobacterium lepraein skin biopsies of untreated and treated leproma- tous patients. Annales de microbiologie 133B:75–92
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Silva M. T., Macedo P. M., Salema R., Santos I. 1982b; Improvement in the Thiery reaction by the use of silver vitelinate. XVII Reunião Anual, Sociedade Portuguesa Microscopia Electronica abs. 30
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Thiéry J. P. 1967; Mise en evidence des polysaccharides sur coupes fines en microscopie electronique. Journal de microscopie 6:987–1018
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Thiéry J. P., Rambourg A. 1974; Cytochimie des polysaccharides. Journal de microscopic 21:225–232
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Venable J. H., Coggeshall R. 1965; A simplified lead citrate stain for use in electron microscopy. Journal of Cell Biology 25:407–408
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Wicken A. J., Knox K. W. 1980; Bacterial cell surface amphiphiles. Biochimica et biophysica acta 604:1–26
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-2-369
Loading
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-130-2-369
Loading

Data & Media loading...

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