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PubMed2002

Capsule-transmitted gut symbiotic bacterium of the Japanese common plataspid stinkbug, Megacopta punctatissima.

The Japanese common plataspid stinkbug, Megacopta punctatissima, deposits small brown particles, or symbiont capsules, on the underside of the egg mass for the purpose of transmission of symbiotic bacteria to the offspring. We investigated the microbiological aspects of the bacteria contained in the capsule, such as microbial diversity, phylogenetic placement, localization in vivo, and fitness effects on the host insect. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA clones revealed that a single bacterial species dominates the microbiota in the capsule. The bacterium was not detected in the eggs but in the capsules, which unequivocally demonstrated that the bacterium is transmitted to the offspring of the insect orally rather than transovarially, through probing of the capsule content. Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the bacterium belongs to the gamma-subdivision of the Proteobacteria. In adult insects the bacterium was localized in the posterior section of the midgut. Deprivation of the bacterium from the nymphs resulted in retarded development, arrested growth, abnormal body coloration, and other symptoms, suggesting that the bacterium is essential for normal development and growth of the host insect.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Laribacter hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel gram-negative bacterium isolated from a cirrhotic patient with bacteremia and empyema.

A bacterium was isolated from the blood and empyema of a cirrhotic patient. The cells were facultatively anaerobic, nonsporulating, gram-negative, seagull shaped or spiral rods. The bacterium grows on sheep blood agar as nonhemolytic, gray colonies 1 mm in diameter after 24 h of incubation at 37 degrees C in ambient air. Growth also occurs on MacConkey agar and at 25 and 42 degrees C but not at 4, 44, and 50 degrees C. The bacterium can grow in 1 or 2% but not 3, 4, or 5% NaCl. No enhancement of growth is observed with 5% CO(2). The organism is aflagellated and nonmotile at both 25 and 37 degrees C. It is oxidase, catalase, urease, and arginine dihydrolase positive, and it reduces nitrate. It does not ferment, oxidize, or assimilate any sugar tested. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that there are 91 base differences (6.2%), 112 base differences (7.7%), and 116 base differences (8.2%) between the bacterium and Microvirgula aerodenitrificans, Vogesella indigofera, and Chromobacterium species, respectively. The G+C content (mean and standard deviation) is 68.0% +/- 2.43%, and the genomic size is about 3 Mb. Based on phylogenetic affiliation, the bacterium belongs to the Neisseriaceae family of the beta-subclass of Proteobacteria. For these reasons, a new genus and species, Laribacter hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed, for which HKU1 is the type strain. Further studies should be performed to ascertain the potential of this bacterium to become an emerging pathogen.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1992

Metabolism of L-amino acids in a marine bacterium isolated from mackerel intestines in relation to eicosapentaenoic acid biosynthesis.

Metabolism of glucose and L-amino acids in an obligately aerobic marine bacterium isolated from Pacific mackerel intestines was investigated for the mechanism and pathway of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) biosynthesis. This bacterium could not uptake glucose but the cell-free extract of this bacterium had the enzymatic activities of L-alanine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.2), L-alanine dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.1). L-serine dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.13), and malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.40), and of seven enzymes involved in the TCA cycle of the usual aerobes. On the other hand, the carbon-13 concentration in cellular fatty acids of the bacterium, especially that in their methyl carbon atoms in contrast to their carbonyl carbons, increased drastically when the bacterium was grown in the presence of 13CH3COONa. These results indicate that: (i) the TCA cycle works in this bacterium, (ii) glucose is not utilized and pyruvic acid is in vivo synthesized from L-alanine, L-serine, and malic acid, and (iii) EPA and other cellular fatty acids are in vivo synthesized from acetyl coenzyme A by the usual de novo synthesis route.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2000

[Pulmonary suppuration due to a mixed infection of anaerobic bacterium and Actinomyces].

We report a case of pulmonary suppuration due to a mixed infection of anaerobic bacterium and Actimomyces. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of hemoptysis on March 30, 1999. A chest X-ray film showed a localized shadow in the right middle lobe, and a tumor shadow was recognized on chest CT. The anaerobic bacterium were isolated from specimens collected bronchofiberscopically. A diagnosis of pulmonary suppuration due to anaerobic bacterium was made, and treatment with sulbactam/ampicillin, followed by imipenem/cilastatin, was initiated. Although his clinical symptoms and laboratory data improved rapidly following this treatment, the abnormal finding on the chest radiographs remained, with only slight improvement. Accordingly, surgical resection of part of the right middle lobe was performed on June 29 using a video-associated thoracic surgery technique. Actinomycosis was recognized by pathological examination of the resected lesion. A revised diagnosis of pulmonary suppuration due to a mixed infection of anaerobic bacterium and Actinomyces was made. Anaerobic bacterium in the oral cavity are recognized as significant pathogens in pulmonary suppuration. In the present case, we considered anaerobic bacterium and Actinomyces aspirated from the oral cavity into the lung to have caused the pulmonary suppuration.

Actinomycosis↗
PubMed2001

Isolation, partial characterization and growth characteristics of a bacterium resistant to aflatoxin B1.

A bacterium was isolated from the soil of dumping ground for cattle yard waste by enrichment culture containing aflatoxin B1. This bacterium was closely related to Bacillus firmus that was found to be a non-pathogenic bacterium. The minimum inhibitory concentration of aflatoxin B1 to the bacterium was found to be 80 microg ml(-1) as measured by total viable count and soluble protein content methods. The bacterium was sensitive to all the tested antibiotics. Plasmid curing by chemical agents did not show the resistance character residing in the plasmid. Protein profiles of cell extracts of aflatoxin B1 resistant bacterium grown in the presence and absence of the toxin showed 46 and 44 protein bands respectively in SDS-PAGE. It was observed that 39 bands were common in both the extracts and the remaining bands were showing differences near the high molecular weight range.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed2002

Characterization of a new keratin-degrading bacterium isolated from deer fur.

A keratin-degrading bacterium was isolated from soil containing deer fur. An axenic culture of the keratin-degrading bacterium was obtained in liquid culture using a keratin enrichment technique. The isolated bacterium was gram negative and catalase- and oxidase-positive. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the bacterium was rod-shaped, 1.0-1.3 microm long and 0.7 microm in diameter. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA revealed that the new isolate has only 90.6% homology with Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens. Hence, this new bacterium was designated as Stenotrophomonas sp. D-1. The optimum temperature was determined to be 20 degrees C for maximum growth and keratinolytic enzyme production. Amino acid data, obtained after treating keratin powder with the supernatant culture, suggest that the major free amino acids resulting from keratin degradation are phenylalanine, tyrosine and valine. In addition, native chicken feather was degraded completely at 20 degrees C in 2.5 d by this bacterium.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Proteomics viewed on stress response of thermophilic bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus TLS33.

Thermophilic bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus TLS33, isolated from a hot spring in Chiang Mai, Thailand, usually produces many enzymes that are very useful for industrial applications. However, the functional properties and mechanisms of this bacterium under stress conditions are rarely reported and still need more understanding on how the bacterium can survive in stress environments. In this study, we examined the oxidative stress induced proteins of this bacterium by proteomic approach combining two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. When the bacterium encountered oxidative stress, peroxiredoxin, as an antioxidant enzyme, is one of the interesting stressed proteins which appeared to be systematically increased with different pI. There are four isoforms of peroxiredoxin, denoted as Prx I, Prx II, Prx III and Prx IV, which are observed at the same molecular weight of 27 kDa but differ in pI values of 5.0, 4.87, 4.81 and 4.79, respectively. The H2O2 concentration directly increased Prx II, Prx III and Prx IV intensities, but decreased Prx I intensity. These shifting of peroxiredoxin isoforms may occur by a post-translational modification. Otherwise, the longer time of oxidative stress had not affected the expression level of peroxiredoxin isoforms. Therefore, this finding of peroxiredoxin intends to know the bacterial adaptation under oxidative stress. Otherwise, this protein plays an important role in many physiological processes and able to use in the industrial applications.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Bacillus sp. WW3-SN6, a novel facultatively alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from the washwaters of edible olives.

A novel Gram-positive facultatively alkaliphilic, sporulating, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as WW3-SN6, has been isolated from the alkaline washwaters derived from the preparation of edible olives. The bacterium is nonmotile, and flagella are not observed. It is oxidase positive and catalase negative. The facultative alkaliphile grows from pH 7.0 to 10.5, with a broad optimum from pH 8.0 to 9.0. It could grow in up to 15% (w/v) NaCl, and over the temperature range from 4 degrees to 37 degrees C, with an optimum between 27 degrees and 32 degrees C: therefore, it is both halotolerant and psychrotolerant. The bacterium is sensitive to a range of beta-lactam, sulfonamide, and aminoglycoside antibiotics, but resistant to trimethoprim. The range of amino acids, sugars, and polyols utilized as growth substrates indicates that this alkaliphile is a heterotrophic bacterium. D(+)-glucose, D(+)-glucose-6-phosphate, D(+)-cellobiose, starch, or sucrose are the substrates best utilized. The major membrane lipids are phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol, with smaller amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine and an unknown phospholipid. During growth at high pH, the proportion of phosphatidylglycerol is increased relative to phosphatidylethanolamine. The fatty acyl components in the membrane phospholipids are mainly branched chain, with 13-methyl tetradecanoic and 12-methyl tetradecanoic acids as the predominant components. The G + C content of the genomic DNA is 41.1 +/- 1.0 mol%. The results of 16S ribosomal RNA sequence analysis place this alkaliphilic bacterium in a cluster, together with an unnamed alkaliphilic Bacillus species (98.2% similarity).

Alkalies↗
PubMed2006

Producing mechanism of an algicidal compound against red tide phytoplankton in a marine bacterium gamma-proteobacterium.

Strain MS-02-063, gamma-proteobacterium, isolated from a coast area of Nagasaki, Japan, produced a red pigment which belongs to prodigiosin members. This pigment, PG-L-1, showed potent algicidal activity against various red tide phytoplanktons in a concentration-dependent manner. An understanding of a mechanism of PG-L-1 production by this marine bacterium may yield important new insights and strategies for preventing blooms of harmful flagellate algae in natural marine environments. Therefore, we analyzed the mechanisms of PG-L-1 production. In our previous study, the pigment production by this marine bacterium was completely inhibited at 1.56 microg/ml of erythromycin or 3.13 microg/ml of chloramphenicol, while minimal inhibitory concentrations for cell growth of erythromycin and chloramphenicol against this bacterium were >100 and 25 microg/ml, respectively. It is interesting to note that the ability of the pigment production in erythromycin-treated bacterium recovered by an addition of homoserine lactone. In fact, the pigment production was inhibited by beta-cyclodextrin that inhibits autoinducer activities by a complex with N-acyl homoserine lactones. N-acyl homoserine lactones with autoinducer activities are ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecules that regulate gene expression in a cell density dependent process known as quorum sensing. Therefore, it was suggested that PG-L-1 produced by strain MS-02-063 is controlled by the homoserine lactone quorum sensing. It is speculated that this quorum sensing is involved in the production of algicidal agents of other marine bacteria. This bacterium and other algicidal bacteria might be concerned in regulating the blooms of harmful flagellate algae through the quorum sensing system.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Helicobacter pylori. One bacterium and a broad spectrum of human disease! An overview.

Since the historical rediscovery of gastric spiral Helicobacter pylori in the gastric mucosa of patients with chronic gastritis by Warren and Marshall in 1983, peptic ulcer disease has been largely viewed as being of infectious aetiology. Indeed, there is a strong association between the presence of H. pylori and chronic active gastritis in histology. The bacterium can be isolated in not less than 70% of gastric and in over 90% of duodenal ulcer patients. Eradication of the organism has been associated with histologic improvement of gastritis, lower relapse rate and less risk of bleeding from duodenal ulcer. The bacterium possesses several virulence factors enabling it to survive the strong acid milieu inside the stomach and possibly damaging host tissues. The sequence of events by which the bacterium might cause gastric or duodenal ulcer is still not fully elucidated and Koch's postulates have never been fulfilled. In the majority of individuals, H. pylori infection is largely or entirely asymptomatic and there is no convincing data to suggest an increase in the prevalence of peptic ulcer disease among these subjects. An increasingly growing body of literature suggests an association between colonization by H. pylori in the stomach and a risk for developing gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), MALT lymphoma, gastric adenocarcinoma and even pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The bacterium has been implicated also in a number of extra-gastrointestinal disorders such as ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic cerebrovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and skin diseases such as rosacea, but a causal role for the bacterium is missing. Eradication of H. pylori thus seems to be a beneficial impact on human health. Various drug regimens are in use to eradicate H. pylori involving the administration of three or four drugs including bismuth compounds, metronidazole, clarithromycin, tetracyclines, amoxycillin, ranitidine, omeprazole for 1-2 weeks. The financial burden, side effects and emergence of drug resistant strains due to an increase in the use in antibiotics for H. pylori eradication therapy need further reconsideration.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

Thermacetogenium phaeum gen. nov., sp. nov., a strictly anaerobic, thermophilic, syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacterium.

A novel anaerobic, thermophilic, syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacterium, strain PB(T), was isolated from a thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic methanogenic reactor which had been treating kraft-pulp waste water. The bacterium oxidized acetate in co-culture with a thermophilic hydrogenotrophic methanogen. Strain PB(T), a gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium grew optimally at 58 degrees C and pH 6.8. The bacterium grew acetogenically on several alcohols, methoxylated aromatics, pyruvate, glycine, cysteine, formate and hydrogen/CO2. Strain PB(T) also oxidized acetate with reduction of sulfate or thiosulfate as the electron acceptor. The bacterium contained MK-7 as the major quinone. The G+C content of the DNA was 53.5 mol%. Comparative 16S rDNA analysis indicated that strain PB(T) belongs to the Bacillus-Clostridium subphylum. However, it was distant from any known genera or micro-organism. The closest known relative was Thermoterrabacterium ferrireducens with 87.4% similarity. The name Thermacetogenium phaeum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain PBT (= DSM 12270T).

Acetates↗
PubMed2002

Thermovibrio ruber gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely thermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic, nitrate-reducing bacterium that forms a deep branch within the phylum Aquificae.

A novel, extremely thermophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium was isolated from the submarine hydrothermal system off the beach of Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Cells of the organism were curved rods of about 1.5-3 microm in length and 0.5-0.8 microm in width. The bacterium grew within the temperature range 50-80 degrees C (optimum around 75 degrees C) and was an obligate anaerobe. Molecular hydrogen was used as the sole electron donor by the bacterium, and nitrate or elemental sulfur served as electron acceptors, producing ammonium or H2S, respectively. Complex organic substrates stimulated growth of the bacterium, but they could not be used as the sole energy source. Based on 16S-rDNA-based phylogenetic analyses and on physiological, biochemical and structural characteristics, the novel organism was found to represent a novel genus for which the name Thermovibrio is proposed. This novel genus, together with Desulfurobacterium thermolithotrophum, may represent a new order within the phylum Aquificae. Since cell pellets of the novel bacterium had an intense red colour, the name Thermovibrio ruber is proposed for the novel organism. The type strain of Thermovibrio ruber gen. nov., sp. nov. is ED11/3LLKT (= DSM 14644T = JCM 11468T).

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2003

Pseudoalteromonas sagamiensis sp. nov., a marine bacterium that produces protease inhibitors.

A marine bacterium producing protease inhibitors was isolated from neritic sea water and was studied phenotypically, genotypically and phylogenetically. This bacterium (strain B-10-31(T)) produced three types of protease inhibitor, namely, marinostatin, monastatin and leupeptin, which were considerably different in terms of their chemical structure and properties. Strain B-10-31(T) was a rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic bacterium that was motile by means of one polar flagellum. The strain required Na(+) for growth and exhibited optimal growth at 27 degrees C, pH 8.0 and 2 % (w/v) NaCl. It utilized various substrates, such as D-glucose, maltose, maltotriose, N-acetylglucosamine, L-threonine, L-serine, L-arginine, L-proline, L-alpha-alanine and L-glutamate, as the sole energy source. Ubiquinone-8 was the major respiratory quinone. The major fatty acids were C(16 : 0), C(16 : 1) omega7c, C(16 : 1) omega9c and C(18 : 1) omega7c. The G+C content of the DNA of strain B-10-31(T) was 42.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rDNA sequences, showed that the strain clustered in the gamma-Proteobacteria. The aerobic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas bacteriolytica was the species most closely related to the new isolate (90.4 % 16S rDNA sequence similarity); other described species in the gamma-Proteobacteria cluster showed low levels of sequence similarity with strain B-10-31(T) (<90 %). Based on the above results, it is proposed that the novel marine bacterium should be classified as a new species, for which the name Pseudoalteromonas sagamiensis (type strain B-10-31(T)=JCM 11461(T)=DSM 14643(T)) is proposed.

DNA, Bacterial↗
PubMed2003

Aeromicrobium marinum sp. nov., an abundant pelagic bacterium isolated from the German Wadden Sea.

An obligately salt-dependent Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain T2(T), was isolated from surface waters of the German Wadden Sea. The organism exhibited optimum growth at salt concentrations similar to that of sea water. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic differences, it is concluded that strain T2(T) (=DSM 15272(T)=LMG 21768(T)) is the first marine species of the genus Aeromicrobium to be identified, for which the name Aeromicrobium marinum is proposed. It is also the first described marine bacterium within the family Nocardioidaceae. Strain T2(T) is a rod-shaped, aerobic, heterotrophic bacterium containing LL-diaminopimelic acid in the peptidoglycan and MK-9(H(4)) as the major menaquinone. The bacterium is characterized by high proportions of the fatty acids palmitic acid, oleic acid, tuberculostearic acid and hydroxypalmitic acid. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis showed the marine bacterium to display 29.1 % relatedness with Aeromicrobium fastidiosum DSM 10552(T) and 44.4 % relatedness with Aeromicrobium erythreum DSM 8599(T). A. marinum was demonstrated to be an abundant member of the pelagic bacterial community in the German Wadden Sea since it represented about 1 % of the total bacterial population as revealed by dot-blot hybridization and most-probable-number counts.

DNA, Bacterial↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of a methane-utilizing bacterium from a bacterial consortium that rapidly degrades trichloroethylene and chloroform.

A mixed culture of bacteria grown in a bioreactor with methane as a carbon and energy source rapidly oxidized trichloroethylene and chloroform. The most abundant organism was a crescent-shaped bacterium that bound the fluorescent oligonucleotide signature probes that specifically hybridize to serine pathway methylotrophs. The 5S rRNA from this bacterium was found to be 93.5% homologous to the Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b 5S RNA sequence. A type II methanotrophic bacterium, isolated in pure culture from the bioreactor, synthesized soluble methane monooxygenase during growth in a copper-limited medium and was also capable of rapid trichloroethylene oxidation. The bacterium contained the gene that encodes the soluble methane monooxygenase B component on an AseI restriction fragment identical in size to a restriction fragment present in AseI digests of DNA from bacteria in the mixed culture. The sequence of the 16S rRNA from the pure culture was found to be 92 and 94% homologous to the 16S rRNAs of M. trichosporium OB3b and M. sporium, respectively. Both the pure and mixed cultures oxidized naphthalene to naphthol, indicating the presence of soluble methane monooxygenase. The mixed culture also synthesized soluble methane monooxygenase, as evidenced by the presence of proteins that cross-reacted with antibodies prepared against purified soluble methane monooxygenase components from M. trichosporium OB3b on Western blots (immunoblots). It was concluded that a type II methanotrophic bacterium phylogenetically related to Methylosinus species synthesizes soluble methane monooxygenase and is responsible for trichloroethylene oxidation in the bioreactor.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Genotype characterization of the bacterium expressing the male-killing trait in the ladybird beetle Adalia bipunctata with specific rickettsial molecular tools.

The male-killing ladybird beetle (LB) bacterium (AB bacterium) was analyzed with specific rickettsial molecular biology tools in the LB Adalia bipunctata strains. Eight phenotype-positive LB strains showing mortality of male embryos were amplified with rickettsial genus-specific primers from the gene for citrate synthase (CS) and the gene for a 17-kDa protein and spotted fever group-specific primers from the gene for the 120-kDa outer membrane protein (ompB). The specificity of amplification was confirmed by Southern hybridization and the absence of the above-listed gene products in three phenotype-negative LB strains. Restriction polymorphism patterns of three examined amplicons from the CS gene, 17-kDa-protein gene, and ompB gene were identical among the eight phenotype-positive LB strains and were unique among all known rickettsiae of the spotted fever and typhus groups. Amplified fragments of the CS genes of the AB bacterium, Rickettsia prowazekii Breinl, Rickettsia typhi Wilmington, Rickettsia canada 2678, and Rickettsia conorii 7 (Malish) were sequenced. The greatest differences among the above-listed rickettsial and AB bacterium CS gene sequences were between bp 1078 and 1110. Numerical analysis based on CS gene fragment sequences shows the close relationships of the AB bacterium to the genus Rickettsia. Expanding of knowledge about rickettsial arthropod vectors and participation of rickettsiae in the cytoplasmic maternal inheritance of arthropods is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

A plant growth-promoting bacterium that decreases nickel toxicity in seedlings

A plant growth-promoting bacterium, Kluyvera ascorbata SUD165, that contained high levels of heavy metals was isolated from soil collected near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The bacterium was resistant to the toxic effects of Ni2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, and CrO4-, produced a siderophore(s), and displayed 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase activity. Canola seeds inoculated with this bacterium and then grown under gnotobiotic conditions in the presence of high concentrations of nickel chloride were partially protected against nickel toxicity. In addition, protection by the bacterium against nickel toxicity was evident in pot experiments with canola and tomato seeds. The presence of K. ascorbata SUD165 had no measurable influence on the amount of nickel accumulated per milligram (dry weight) of either roots or shoots of canola plants. Therefore, the bacterial plant growth-promoting effect in the presence of nickel was probably not attributable to the reduction of nickel uptake by seedlings. Rather, it may reflect the ability of the bacterium to lower the level of stress ethylene induced by the nickel.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

Changes in fine structure and polypeptide pattern during development of Holospora obtusa, a bacterium infecting the macronucleus of Paramecium caudatum.

The development of the bacterium Holospora obtusa, which infects the macronucleus of Paramecium caudatum, was investigated in the course of a new infection from the infectious form into the reproductive form and vice versa. In parallel with a complete structural reorganization of the bacterium, the protein pattern changed gradually in this development. During the differentiation of the infectious form into the reproductive form, the voluminous periplasm was gradually reduced and the cytoplasm expanded, until the entire bacterium was filled by the cytoplasm. At this stage the long cell divided into five to seven short cells and thereby established the reproductive form, the main stage of the bacterium being maintained and multiplying in the host nucleus. In parallel with the reduction of the periplasm, some of the main proteins of the infectious form gradually disappeared in the electrophoresis pattern; some proteins disappeared earlier than others. Simultaneously, other proteins appeared and gradually became more prominent in the pattern of the developing reproductive form. In the reverse development, when the reproductive form differentiated into the infectious form, the bacterium grew longer, the cytoplasm was condensed, and electron-dense material was deposited in the extending periplasmic space. In parallel with this morphological development, the polypeptide pattern reverted to that of the infectious form.

Animals↗