Open AccessPeculiarities of the supramolecular organization of intracytoplasmic membranes in methanotrophs
Author(s) -
Suzi.E.,
Chetina E.V.,
Trotsenko Y.A.,
Fikhte B.A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb00995.x
Subject(s) - membrane , supramolecular chemistry , crystallography , protein subunit , chemistry , biophysics , globular protein , globular cluster , biology , crystal structure , biochemistry , physics , gene , quantum mechanics , galaxy
The electron microscopial examination of methane‐utilizing bacteria revealed the ordered subunit organization of their intracytoplasmic membranes. The membrane sheets of both types of methanotrophs grown on methane were covered by hexagonally arrayed globular structures with lattice spacings approx. 9.0–9.5 nm. Each globular structure consisted of 7 symmetrically arranged subunits. Globules were partially separated from membrane sheets by several mechanical agents. The free globular structures were 13 nm in diameter. The discrepancy between diameter of free and membrane‐bound globules suggested the existence of various conformational states of subunits composing a globule. A model of possible changes in the subunit orientations at various conformational states is proposed.