ISSN:
1432-072X
Keywords:
Aggregation substance
;
Enterococcus faecalis
;
Electron microscopy
;
Field emission scanning electron microscopy
;
Immunogold labelling technique
;
Sex pheromone system
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract The distribution of sex pheromone induced aggregation substance was studied on the cell surface of various Enterococcus faecalis strains. In the accompanying paper we have shown that the aggregation substance appears as a layer of hairlike structures. Using direct and indirect immunogold technique, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution scanning electron microscopy we investigated the appearance and distribution of the aggregation substance. The “hairs” increase in number with increasing exposure to sex pheromones (maximum density: 1300/μm2). We show that these structures are unequally distributed over the cell surface, even if the cells were induced by sex pheromones for a long period of time. Statistical analysis of the unequal distribution indicates that aggregation substance is incorporated into pre-existing “old” cell-walls and that this incorporation shows a saturation ca. 40 min after addition of sex pheromones.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00454864
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