The attachment of bacterial spinae

Abstract

Spinae are attached to protease-sensitive structural proteins in the external surface of the outer membrane. Agents and (or) treatments affecting ionic, hydrophobic, or hydorgen bonds are ineffective in releasing spinae from bacteria. As judged by thin-sectioning and freeze-fracturing techniques, the outer membrane is not modified at the attachment site to a detectable extent, and the other surface layers are not involved. The attachment of spinae is thus differentiated from that of flagella.

Two different types of surface structures of methane utilizing bacteria

“…A strikingly similar tube-shaped structure was recently described for another me- , WILLISON et al 1977) and of the genus Agrobacteriurn (MOLL and AHRENS 1970). The most significant difference of these tubes is their expanded base as compared with our structure$.…”

Biofilms, bacterial signaling, and their ties to marine biology

“…Their formation is a progressive process in which colonizing bacteria move to or are transported to a surface, attach, and, through a series of steps, produce a biofilm. Initial attachment can be as passive as the hydrophobic attraction of a non-motile organism to the surface or as involved as the active use of organelles to facilitate attachment [24,32,49,50]. Bacteria have developed multiple strategies for adsorption and attachment to surfaces.…”

Structural properties of the tubular appendage spinae from marine bacterium Roseobacter sp. strain YSCB

“…Spinae are the representatives of the nonprosthecate appendages. Studies have been carried out with respect to their microscopic structures15172930 and the growth conditions favorable for spinae production183132. Transmission electron microscopy clearly shows that the spinae extend without apparent connection to the cytoplasm, and are unlikely to be extensions from the cell wall.…”