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Morphological Properties of a Human Intestinal Spirochete First Isolated from a Patient with Diarrhea in Japan
Author(s) -
Tasu Chollada,
Nakamura Shinichi,
Tazawa Hideki,
Hara Hiromichi,
Adachi Yoshikazu
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2003.tb03459.x
Subject(s) - biology , diarrhea , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , medicine
A human intestinal spirochete isolated from a rectal biopsy specimen was morphologically characterized. The isolate was comma‐shaped, 3–6 μm in length, 0.2 μm in diameter and had tapered ends. The surface layer, external to the outer envelope, was amorphous. Four string‐like periplasmic flagella with a diameter of 20 nm were presented at each end of the SDS‐treated cells. Thin sections of the bacterial cell revealed a high‐density cytoplasmic membrane and flagella in the periplasmic space between the cytoplasmic membrane and the outer envelope. Three segments of equal length were observed in some of the cells, while other cells were bi‐segmented and more frequently observed.