MICROMORPHOLOGY OF DERMATOPHILUS CONGOLENSIS.

Gordon, Morris A. (Division of Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany), and Mercedes R. Edwards. Micromorphology of Dermatophilus congolensis. J. Bacteriol. 86:1101-1115. 1963.-As seen in electron micrographs of thin sections, Dermatophilus congolensis is a holocarpic actinomycete that fragments, after formation of septa in several planes, into Sarcina-like packets and then into individual cocci. Release of coccal forms from the filaments and packets is by dissolution of a capsular matrix, which is a product of degradation of the cell wall. The plasmalemma is a "unit membrane." Regularly occurring plasmalemmosomes ("onion bodies") of uniform structure are apparently related to septum formation. A typical bacterial nucleoid is seen in most sections, and ribosomes are scattered throughout the cytoplasm. Specimens for electron microscopy were prepared by a modification of Kellenberger's method.