Abstract
The development and mature structure of bacterial leaf nodules in Psychotria bacteriophila were studied by using light and electron microscopy. Bacteria in mucilage surrounding the shoot apex pass through certain stomates in leaf primordia into the substomatal chamber. These chambers enlarge and become nodules as the yound leaves grow out of the apical region. Surrounding mesophyll cells grow into each nodule and form a cellular reticulum whose interstices are occupied by bacteria. Each intrusive mesophyll cell wall is unusually thick and continually supplemented by vesicles originating from dictyosomes. The gram-negative bacteria are often surrounded by capsules. Nodule bacteria contain several crystal-like dense bodies. A population of normal, dividing, and degenerating bacteria is found in each nodule. Extensive membranes occur between the bacteria. A hypothesis is proposed to explain certain aspects of this obligate symbiotic relationship.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- CENTIFANTO Y. M., SILVER W. S. LEAF-NODULE SYMBIOSIS. I. ENDOPHYTE OF PSYCHOTRIA BACTERIOPHILA. J Bacteriol. 1964 Sep;88:776–781. doi: 10.1128/jb.88.3.776-781.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CLAUS G. W., ROTH L. E. FINE STRUCTURE OF THE GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIUM ACETOBACTER SUBOXYDANS. J Cell Biol. 1964 Feb;20:217–233. doi: 10.1083/jcb.20.2.217. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Knox K. W., Vesk M., Work E. Relation between excreted lipopolysaccharide complexes and surface structures of a lysine-limited culture of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1966 Oct;92(4):1206–1217. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.4.1206-1217.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LUFT J. H. Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Feb;9:409–414. doi: 10.1083/jcb.9.2.409. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- STEMPAK J. G., WARD R. T. AN IMPROVED STAINING METHOD FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. J Cell Biol. 1964 Sep;22:697–701. doi: 10.1083/jcb.22.3.697. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- ZIEGLER H. Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung von symbiontischen Bakterien aus höheren Pflanzen. Z Naturforsch B. 1958 May;13B(5):297–301. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]