Isolation and Ultrastructural Characterization of Fine Spirals (Spirosomes) from Lactobacillus brevis

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Abstract
Fine spirals termed spirosomes were isolated from protoplast-lysate of Lacto-bacitlus breris ATCC 8287 by differential centrifugation and further purified by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The spirosomes were demonstrated by negative staining to be helical structure about 6.5 nm in width, 12.5 nm in height and 11 nm in pitch. Their length varied considerably, ranging from 30 to 400 nm with a maximum of approximately 900 nm, but spirals measuring 100 to 200 nm were most frequent. The basic hand of the helix of spirosomes appeared to be left-handed from electron microscopic observation of serrated-smooth asymmetry in tilted specimens. Mitomycln C induced various phage-related structures but did not cause an increase in the number of spirosomes.

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