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Volume 96, Issue 1

The Effects of Alkalinity and Hypertonicity on the Morphology and Motility of () strain 16 Free

Abstract

SUMMARY: Effects of alkalinity and hypertonicity on the motile behaviour of () 16 were observed, quantified, and compared with effects previously shown by similar factors on the motility of eubacteria. tolerated relatively high concentrations of hydroxide ions. Motility similar to that in controls was observed at pH values up to 9·8; but at pH 10·0 motility declined sharply with time of exposure, and there was structural alteration, visible as a blebbing of the cell envelope. Unlike the behaviour of eubacteria, immobilization of induced by hydroxide ions could not be reversed by lowering the pH. It is suggested that by restricting entry of hydroxide ions, the cell envelope protects its motility apparatus from adverse effects.

was completely immobilized in 0·5 and 1·0 -sucrose solutions. Unlike the eubacteria, leptospires were incapable of spontaneous reversion to motile forms and resumption of motility was dependent on both concentration and time of exposure to sucrose. Deuterium oxide did not affect movement, suggesting that even though leptospire endoflagella and the exoflagella of eubacteria are analogous, the motile behaviour of is significantly different from that of eubacteria.

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© Society for General Microbiology, 1976
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1976-09-01
2024-04-30
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The Effects of Alkalinity and Hypertonicity on the Morphology and Motility of Leptospira interrogans (biflexa) strain b16
Microbiology 96, 25 (1976); https://doi.org/10.1099/00221287-96-1-25
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-96-1-25
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/00221287-96-1-25
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