[Microcapsule formation in the cells of Neisseria meningitidis group B]

The formation of the rutheniophilic microcapsule was studied in 5 meningococcal strains, group B, in accordance with the data of transmission electron microscopy. The microcapsular group-specific meningococcal polysaccharide was shown to enter into a specific osmiophilic reaction with ruthenium red. The study revealed that the formation of the microcapsule was practically independent of the concentration of serum, ferric chloride and amino-nitrogen in the medium in the ranges used in the experiments (0-20%, 0-32 mg/l and 49-160 mg% respectively). As noted in this study, the presence of serum in the medium led to the formation of the pseudocapsule on the surface of meningococci. The intensity of the formation of the microcapsule was shown to depend on the phenotypical properties of definite strains, on the phase of bacterial growth (it reached its maximum values at the exponential phase), as well as on the concentration of glucose in the medium.