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. 1968 Jun;95(6):2374–2392. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.6.2374-2392.1968

Fine Structure of Ectothiorhodospira mobilis Pelsh1

C C Remsen a, S W Watson a, J B Waterbury a, H G Trüper a
PMCID: PMC315173  PMID: 5669908

Abstract

The cell wall structure, arrangement of photosynthetic membranes, and the attachment of flagella of Ectothiorhodospira mobilis strain 8112 were examined by using freeze-etching and conventional electron microscopic techniques. The outer coat of the multilayered cell wall is comprised of 50 A repeating subunits, arranged in a regular array. The photosynthetic membranes, which originate from and are attached to the plasma membrane, are arranged in a more complex pattern than previously seen in other bacteria. The tuft of flagella in E. mobilis is inserted into a polar organelle. The relationship of this organelle to the polar membrane and the mechanism of attachment of the flagella to the polar organelle is discussed.

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