[The morphological characteristics of mucoid variants of Pseudomonas pseudomallei]

Two types of mucoid colonies formed by P. pseudomallei cultivated on solid culture media have been studied by the method of electron cytochemistry. The intercellular material of primary mucoid colonies has been found to positively react with ruthenium red, which is indicative of its polysaccharide nature. Slime is the product secreted by P. pseudomallei and participates in the formation of the pseudocapsule and colonies. The intercellular material seems to be a sum of biopolymers based on the products of destroyed bacterial cells.