The Development of the Surface Structures in Dividinǵ Bacteria

SUMMARY: The cell wall of growing Gram-negative bacteria is formed mainly, or entirely, at one pole of the cell. At this point the cell wall is soft and transparent to the electron beam, and there is a concentration of stainable material in the underlying cell membrane. A similar ‘growing point’ occurs at the point of cell division. In dividing bacteria, the portion of the surface which bears the flagella is retained in its entirety by one daughter cell, the other daughter cell grows new flagella.