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. 1987 Jan;169(1):157–163. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.1.157-163.1987

Immunoelectron microscopic analysis of elongation of type 1 fimbriae in Escherichia coli.

M A Lowe, S C Holt, B I Eisenstein
PMCID: PMC211747  PMID: 2878917

Abstract

Using 10- and 20-nm-diameter gold particles conjugated to an antifimbrial monoclonal antibody, we analyzed the location of assembly of newly formed subunits on growing type 1 fimbriae of Escherichia coli. Fimbriae were removed from an E. coli K-12-derived strain, CSH50, by blending. Blended cells were allowed to regenerate their fimbriae in growth medium for approximately 25 min, after which they were labeled with a 20-nm-gold-monoclonal antibody probe. Continued outgrowth of these labeled fimbriae was allowed for additional time intervals, after which they were labeled with a 10-nm-gold-monoclonal antibody probe. The resulting fimbriae, double labeled with 10- and 20-nm-diameter gold particles, were examined in an electron microscope. The pattern of labeling on individual fimbrial organelles indicated morphologically that newly synthesized subunits are added to a growing organelle at its base.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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