Evidence for motility-related fimbriae in the gliding microorganism Myxococcus xanthus

An electron-microscopic examination of negatively stained preparations from cell lysates of Myxococcus xanthus and in situ samples of Myxococcus xanthus, Myxococcus virescens, and Myxococcus fulvus has demonstrated the presence of polar fimbriae, about 8.5 nm in diameter, on motile but not nonmotile cells.