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Light microscopic investigations on lysozyme‐ and penicillin‐induced morphological changes in Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and on propagation of its protoplast type L‐form
Author(s) -
Gumpert J.,
Todorov T.,
Toshkov As
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
zeitschrift für allgemeine mikrobiologie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0044-2208
DOI - 10.1002/jobm.19800200702
Subject(s) - lysozyme , protoplast , cytoplasm , cell wall , biophysics , erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae , agar plate , biology , cytoskeleton , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , cell , botany , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics
Although lysozyme and penicillin are different in their molecular action on cell wall murein they produce similar morphological changes in Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae grown on agar media. 2,000–5,000 μg/ml lysozyme and 0.1–1 IU/ml penicillin induce filament formation. Filaments are able to divide in rods, which shows that only cross wall formation and separation are inhibited. Higher doses of lysozyme (10,000 μg/ml) and penicillin (>1 IU/ml) inhibit cell wall synthesis and induce L‐form growth. The propagation of this protoplast type L‐form was investigated by microphotographic series in phase contrast microscope during L‐form induction and in the stable L‐form state. In both cases L‐form cells propagate by formation and growth of small granular elements of about 0.2–0.6 μm in diameter, which spread in different directions in the agar medium. The multiplication process may be explained by the plasticity and flexibility of the L‐form cell and its cytoplasmic membrane and by the structural and functional interaction between the “folded chromosome” and the surrounding cytoplasm.