ULTRASTRUCTURE OF VEILLONELLA AND MORPHOLOGICAL CORRELATION OF AN OUTER MEMBRANE WITH PARTICLES ASSOCIATED WITH ENDOTOXIC ACTIVITY

Abstract

Bladen, Howard A. (National Institute of Dental Research, Bethesda, Md.), and Stephan E. Mergenhagen. Ultrastructure of Veillonella and morphological correlation of an outer membrane with particles associated with endotoxic activity. J. Bacteriol. 88:1482-1492. 1964.-Normal, phenol-water extracted, and lysozyme-treated Veillonella cells were embedded in Vestopal W, sectioned, and examined by electron microscopy. Normal cells as well as the phenol-water extract (endotoxin) were examined by negative and positive contrast techniques. In thin sections of normal cells, three separate structural entities were observed surrounding the protoplasm, and were referred to as the outer membrane, the solid membrane, and the plasma membrane. The outer membrane was a membrane composed of two dense layers (30 A) separated by a less-dense layer (20 A), and followed a convoluted and continuous path around the cell. The solid membrane appeared as a taut, dense structure 100 to 500 A wide, and was separated from the outer membrane by up to several hundred Angstroms. The plasma membrane was a unit-type membrane. After cells were treated with phenol-water, the outer membrane was absent, but the cells remained intact owing to the solid membrane. Observation of the phenol-water extract (endotoxin) revealed predominantly circular particles or discs which had approximately the same dimensions in height as the outer membrane had in width. Negatively stained whole cells showed similar structures on their surface. Lysozyme treatment of the cells did not affect the outer membrane; however, the solid membrane became diffuse and often disappeared, suggesting that the outer membrane and the solid membrane were separate structures.