22 THE CYTOLOGY AND LIFE-HISTORY OF BACTERIA 



Bacteria arc best examined in water mounted preparations. Their internal 

 structures, especially the nuclear material, are often obscured by the con- 

 centration of stainable ribose nucleoprotein in the cytoplasm and cell 

 membrane. This may be removed by hydrolysis or enzyme action, and 

 the nucleus demonstrated by a variety of staining methods. The nuclear 

 material may also be stained, with more difficulty, by classical cytological 

 techniques. It reacts chemically as though composed mainly of deoxyribose 

 nucleoprotein. 



The cell membrane stains with lipid-soluble dyes, and transverse septa 

 derived from it also stain very strongly with basic dyes. 



The cell wall resists staining unless mordanted with tannic or phospho- 

 molybdic acid which also destroys the protein structures of the cell. 



The staining o{ flagella and capsular material and the technique ot colony 

 impressions are described. 



Considerable advances have been made in the application of electron and 

 phase-contrast microscopy, as applied to bacterial cytology. In particular, 

 the preparation of electron-transparent sections, and the use ot enzymes, 

 antibodies and proteins in a manner analogous to specific staining, for phase- 

 contrast microscopy, have shown promise of providing valuable information. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



(i) Allen, L. A., Appleby, J. C. and Wolf, J. (1939) Zbl. f. Bakt. II. 100. 3. 



(2) Badian, J. (1933) Arch, f Mikrobiol. 4. 409. 



(3) Beebe, J. M. (i94i)J. Bact. 42. 193. 



{4) Birch-Andersen, A., Maaloe, O. and Sojstrand, F. S. (19S3) Biochini. Biophys 

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(5) BissET, K. A. (193X) J. Path. Bact. 47. 223. 



(6) BissET, K. A. (1939a) ibid. 48. 427. 



(7) BissET, K. A. (1939b) ibid. 49. 491. 



(S) BissET, K. A. (1947) J. Gen. Microbiol. 2. S3. 



(9) BissET, K. A. (i94Sa) ibid. 2. 126. 



(10) BissET, K. A. (i94Sb)J. Hyg., Camb. 46. 264. 



(11) BissET, K. A. (1949) J. Gen. Microbiol. 3. 93. 



(12) BissET, K. A. (1953) Stain Tcchnol. 2.S. 45. 



(13) BissET, K. A. (1954a) J. Bact. 67. 41. 



