Visualization of Lipopolysaccharide Aggregates by Freeze-Fracture and Negative Staining

The morphology of Escherichia coli 0111:B4 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in aqueous medium was studied by freeze-fracture and negative staining. Samples processed by freeze-fracture showed LPS aggregates that were mainly spherical or elliptical and of rather homogeneous size. Negative staining, however,...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of electron microscopy 1993-06, Vol.42 (3), p.202-204
Main Authors: Risco, Cristina, Carrascosa, José L., Bosch, María A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Escherichia coli - chemistry
Freeze Fracturing - methods
freeze-fracture
lipopolysaccharide
Lipopolysaccharides - chemistry
Macromolecular Substances
Microscopy, Electron
negative staining
Particle Size
Staining and Labeling - methods
Water
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The morphology of Escherichia coli 0111:B4 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in aqueous medium was studied by freeze-fracture and negative staining. Samples processed by freeze-fracture showed LPS aggregates that were mainly spherical or elliptical and of rather homogeneous size. Negative staining, however, showed a more heterogeneous population, although globular structures revealed by both procedures had a similar size. Considering the mechanisms involved in the processing of the samples, we suggest that the genuine shape of LPS aggregates is more likely to be globular, thus being artefactual those forms visualized by negative staining, traditionally associated with the organization of LPS in aqueous suspension.
ISSN:0022-0744
1477-9986
1477-9986
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jmicro.a051033