Bacterial morphologies

Figure 25.3 Viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms in plankton (left) from Southern California and from sediments (right) from Florida Bay. Note bacterial morphological diversity is greater in sediments than in the water column but viruses and bacteria are harder to distinguish from detritus.

MECHANISM OF ACTION OF NOVOBIOCIN Changes in bacterial morphology Effects on bacterial cell wall synthesis... 

Bacteria and other prokaryotes lack the complex intracellular structures (endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, mitochondria, etc.) found in plant and animal cells (eukaryotes). Bacterial morphology (shape and size) is limited to... 

Resistance to antimicrobial agents is of concern as it is well known that bacterial resistance to antibiotics can develop. Many bacteria already derive some nonspecific resistance to biocides through morphological features such as thek cell wall. Bacterial populations present as part of a biofilm have achieved additional resistance owkig to the more complex and thicker nature of the biofilm. A system contaminated with a biofilm population can requke several orders of magnitude more chlorine to achieve control than unassociated bacteria of the same species. A second type of resistance is attributed to chemical deactivation of the biocide. This deactivation resistance to the strong oxidising biocides probably will not occur (27). 

Virtually all metallurgies can be attacked by corrosive bacteria. Cases of titanium corrosion are, however, rare. Copper alloys are not immune to bacterial attack however, corrosion morphologies on copper alloys are not well defined. Tubercles on carbon steel and common cast irons sometimes contain sulfate-reducing and acid-producing bacteria. Potentially corrosive anaerobic bacteria are often present beneath... 

The second type of material includes spores, which may or may not produce disease symptoms but which can germinate in the insect gut and give rise to vegetative bacterial cells which in turn may produce, and exoenzymes such as phospholipases (lecithinases) or hyaluronidase. The phospholipases may produce direct toxic symptoms owing to their action on nervous or other phospholipid-containing tissue. Hyaluronidase breaks down hyaluronic acid and produces effects on animal tissue which are morphologically similar to the breakdown of insect gut wall in the presence of microbial insecticide preparations. 

Tissue Culture Assay. Kogure et al. (48) report a novel tissue culture assay for detecting several types of sodium channel blockers. The mouse neuroblastoma cell line ATCC CCL 131 is grown in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 13.5% fetal bovine serum and 100 pg/ml gentamycin, in an atmosphere of 5% C0 95% air at 37 C. Ninety-six well plates are seeded with 1 x 10 cells in 200 pi of medium containing 1 mM ouabain and 0.075 mM veratridine. Veratridine and ouabain cause neuroblastoma cells to round-up and die. In the presence of sodium channel blockers (e.g., TTXs or STXs), the lethal action of veratridine is obviated and cells retain normal morphology and viability. An important feature of this assay is that a positive test for sodium channel blockers results in normal cell viability. Since bacterial extracts can contain cytotoxic components, this assay offers an advantage over tests that use cell death as an endpoint. The minimum detectable level of TTX is approximately 3 nM, or approximately 1/1000 mouse unit. 

FIGURE 66-2. Important bacterial pathogens classified according to Gram stain and morphologic characteristics. (Reprinted from Rybak MJ, Aeschlimann JR. Laboratory tests to direct antimicrobial pharmacotherapy. In In DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, et al, (eds.) Pharmacotherapy A Pathophysiologic Approach. 6th ed. New York McGraw-Hill 2005 1894.)... 

Some studies have demonstrated the ability of mixed bacterial cultures to promote azo-dye conversion. The main advantage of mixed cultures is the ability to cope with conversion of both the dye and the main products of dye degradation. Characterization of individual strains in consortia has seldom been accomplished during continuous tests. Only a few attempts have been made to characterize the morphology of bacteria during continuous operation of bioreactors and to relate process efficiency to the bacterial population [32, 33]. 

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