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. 1983 May;154(2):924–929. doi: 10.1128/jb.154.2.924-929.1983

Freeze-fracture confirmation of the presence of a core in the specialized tip structure of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

F Wall, R M Pfister, N L Somerson
PMCID: PMC217546  PMID: 6404891

Abstract

The presence of a specialized terminal region in Mycoplasma pneumoniae was seen in thin sections viewed in an electron microscope. Actively growing cells were examined by the freeze-fracture technique in the absence of fixation to further establish the core as a significant structural entity. Cross fractures revealed a cytoplasmic matrix surrounding a central core structure of about 54 nm. This structure disappeared rapidly in aging cells. The convex protoplastic faces of the membrane around the core had characteristic 5- to 10-nm intramembrane particles evenly distributed across the cell surface, with no apparent difference in the region of the specialized tip. A periodicity previously noted in negatively stained preparations was clearly defined here in thin sections. Attachment of actively growing cells to sheep erythrocytes was seen primarily as a side attachment rather than attachment at the tip alone. This association between the mycoplasma and the sheep erythrocytes seriously deformed the sheep erythrocytes, but no membrane fusion could be detected.

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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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