ULTRASTRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A DEEP-SEA BACTERIUM

Authors

  • Bhavleen Kaur Dalhousie University
  • Henrietta Mann Dalhousie University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15273/pnsis.v42i2.3616

Abstract

The ultrastructure of a bacterium, isolated from rusticles found on the wreck of the Royal Mail Steamship (R.M.S.) Titanic, was studied. The bacterium was rod-shaped, gram-negative and produced circular, off-white, opaque colonies on marine agar. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the bacterium had a typical gram-negative cell wall structure; the nucleoid region was scattered throughout the cytoplasm and darkly stained inclusions were found in the cytoplasm. Negative staining illustrated the presence of 2-6 peritrichous flagella on the bacterium. This bacterial isolate may be part of transient consortia involved in the formation of the rusticles.

On a étudié l‘ultrastructure d‘une bactérie, isolée de concrétions de rouille en stalactite provenant de l‘épave du Royal Mail Steamship (R.M.S.) Titanic. La bactérie, en forme de bâtonnet, était Gram négatif et produisait des colonies circulaires, blanc cassé et opaques sur de l‘agar marin. La microscopie électronique à  transmission a révélé que la structure de la paroi cellulaire de la bactérie était typiquement Gram négatif; la région du nucléoïde était dispersée dans le cytoplasme, caractérisé par des inclusions foncées. La coloration négative a révélé la présence de 2 à  6 flagelles péritriches. Cet isolat bactérien pourrait faire partie des consortiums transitoires qui contribuent à  la formation des concrétions de rouille.

Author Biographies

Bhavleen Kaur, Dalhousie University

Department of Biological Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

2003 NSIS Graduate Student
Prize Winning Paper: Joint Award

Henrietta Mann, Dalhousie University

Department of Civil Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

2003 NSIS Graduate Student
Prize Winning Paper: Joint Award

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