Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 8, 2026

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores
08:58

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores

Published on: April 15, 2019

Fine structures of intracytoplasmic organelles of mycobacteria

M KOIKE, K TAKEYA

    The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology
    |March 1, 1961
    PubMed

    Insights

    Electron microscopy revealed the detailed structure of mycobacteria

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Cell Biology
    • Electron Microscopy

    Background:

    • Mycobacteria possess complex intracytoplasmic organelles.
    • Understanding their fine structure is crucial for cell biology.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To elucidate the fine structure of mycobacterial intracytoplasmic organelles.
    • To characterize the nuclear apparatus and a novel membranous organelle.

    Main Methods:

    • Electron microscopy of ultrathin sections.
    • Advanced fixation techniques using OsO(4) and uranyl acetate.
    • Embedding in araldite for high-resolution imaging.

    Main Results:

    • A well-preserved nuclear apparatus with fine fibrils (30 A) was observed.
    • A "lamellar structure" composed of unit membranes was identified.
    • Continuity between the lamellar structure's membrane and the cytoplasmic membrane was demonstrated.

    Conclusions:

    • The study provides detailed ultrastructural insights into mycobacteria.
    • A novel "lamellar structure" with potential connections to the cytoplasmic membrane was described.
    Keywords:
    MYCOBACTERIUM/anatomy and histology

    More Related Videos

    Analysis of the Lipid Composition of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatography07:42

    Analysis of the Lipid Composition of Mycobacteria by Thin Layer Chromatography

    Published on: April 16, 2021

    Rapid Freezing using Sandwich Freezing Device for Good Ultrastructural Preservation of Biological Specimens in Electron Microscopy09:03

    Rapid Freezing using Sandwich Freezing Device for Good Ultrastructural Preservation of Biological Specimens in Electron Microscopy

    Published on: July 19, 2021

    Related Concept Videos

    Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria01:30

    Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria

    Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...
    Special Staining Techniques01:13

    Special Staining Techniques

    Specialized staining techniques play a vital role in microbiology by enabling the visualization of specific bacterial structures that remain undetectable with standard microscopy methods. These techniques not only enhance the structural visualization of bacterial cells but also provide critical insights into their pathogenicity and classification. Additionally, they support diagnostic and research endeavors in microbiology by identifying key bacterial features.Capsule Staining for Virulence...
    Microbial Morphologies01:29

    Microbial Morphologies

    Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...
    Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria01:29

    Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria

    Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...
    Cell Inclusions01:27

    Cell Inclusions

    Prokaryotic cells possess a variety of inclusions that play crucial roles in nutrient storage, metabolic processes, and environmental adaptation. These structures enable bacteria to thrive under fluctuating environmental conditions by storing essential resources and optimizing their metabolic efficiency.Carbon Storage: Poly-β-Hydroxybutyric Acid and Glycogen GranulesBacteria frequently store excess carbon in specialized granules. Poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) granules are lipid polymers that...
    Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

    Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

    The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...