Ultrastructural localization of tellurite reduction in Acholeplasma species

Aerobic reduction of tellurite by five Acholeplasma species and two Mycoplasma species was investigated by light and electron microscopy. Among the Acholeplasma species, colonies of A. laidlawii and A. oculi exhibited a heavy, macroscopically visible reduction of tellurite, whereas the reaction of A. axanthum was weaker. A. granularum and A. modicum did not reduce the substrate under the experimental conditions employed. The two subspecies of M. mycoides also reacted with tellurite, as did also the investigated strain of M. bovigenitalium although to a lesser extent. Ultrastructurally, reduction sites were localized to the cytoplasmic membrane in the three tellurite positive Acholeplasma species and apparently to the cytoplasm of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides. Reduction sites could not be demonstrated in M. mycoides subsp. capri and in M. bovigenitalium. The results support previous evidence obtained by biochemical methods which indicates membrane localization of redox enzymes in Acholeplasmas.