Ultrastructure of Pseudomonas saccharophila at Early and Late Log Phase of Growth

Abstract

The fine structure of Pseudomonas saccharophila , a soil bacterium, is similar to that of the marine Pseudomonas reported by Wiebe and Chapman. The unit membrane of the plasma membrane is clearly seen in some areas of thin sections. The ribonucleoprotein granules are distributed in the cytoplasm of the cell. Cells of P. saccharophila during early exponential phase are large, and most of them contain a large number of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate granules. Some of the granules are quite large and occupy up to three-fourths of the cross section of the cell. Thin sections of the cells in the late log phase, however, show fewer and smaller poly-β-hydroxybutyrate granules located in the central region of the cell. Negative-stained and freeze-fracture preparations show that the outer surface of the cell wall of P. saccharophila is covered with a large number of tiny granules and long, slender flagella. The outer surface of the plasma membrane appears to be smoother than the outer surface of the cell wall, and it also contains numerous granules. Since the outer surface of the cell wall is quite smooth in freeze-fracture preparations, the wrinkled appearance in thin sections is probably an artifact of fixation and dehydration. The poly-β-hydroxybutyrate did not solidify at the freezing temperature used (approximately −150 C), and it was consequently pulled out in a spikelike structure during the fracturing process. P. saccharophila , under the conditions in our study, appears to multiply by the constrictive type of cell division.