Summary
Vegetative cells of Myxococcus xanthus, strain FB, were found to contain numerous small mesosomes distributed throughout the cell. They persisted in the cell as long as the cells were maintained on casitone-agar. When these cells were transferred into casitone-broth and grown under aeration large mesosomes were newly formed at the division plane during the first and second cell division after transfer. After four to six more generations when transferred a second time into fresh casitone broth mesosomes were no longer detectable in the cells but reappeared when the cells were retransferred onto casitone-agar.
A low oxygen concentration in the medium caused the formation of an unidentified factor found to be responsible for the formation of mesosomes in cells of colonies or in a liquid medium.
The shape of the mesosomes seems not to be predetermined but depends upon the inhomogeneity of cytoplasm and nucleoids into which they intrude. In some large mesosomes the infolded membrane consisted of five layers, one dense layer alternating with a translucent one with dense layers limiting the membrane. The width of these membranes was 120 A instead of 160 A as could be expected for two merged triple-layered cytoplasmic membranes each measuring about 80 A. A large poly-phosphate granule was found to be enclosed by a mesosome.
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Voelz, H. Formation and structure of mesosomes in Myxococcus xanthus. Archiv. Mikrobiol. 51, 60–70 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406850
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406850