Electron Microscopic Observations on the Sites of Activities of Succinic Dehydrogenase and Cytochrome Oxidase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Bacillus megaterium

• Published in: Journal of electron microscopy 1966, Vol.15 (4), p.262-268
• Main Authors: YAMAGUCHI, Junji, ARIJI, Fumio, FUKUSHI, Kazue, OKA, Sutemi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacillus megaterium - enzymology; Electron Transport Complex IV - analysis; Histocytochemistry; Microscopy, Electron; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - enzymology; Succinate Dehydrogenase - analysis
• ISSN: 0022-0744; 1477-9986; 1477-9986
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jmicro.a049533

Sites of activities of succinic dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis var.hominis H37Ra and Bacillus megaterium 8100 were investigated cytochemically at the electron microscope level. For the demonstration of succinic dehydrogenase activity, the cells were incubated in a medium containing succinate and tetranitro-blue tetrazolium (TNBT) or nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT). Succinic dehydrogenase activity, as evidenced by the deposition of TNBT- or NBT-formazan, was found on the mesosomes, occasionally on a portion of the cytoplasmic membrane and rarely in the nuclear region. For the demonstration of cytochrome oxidase activity, the cells were incubated in a medium containing p-amino-diphenylamine and p-amino-p-'methoxy-diphenylamine. Cytochrome oxidase activity, as evidenced by the deposition of dense final products, was found on the mesosomes and occasionally on a portion of the cytoplasmic membrane. These findings show that the important enzymes of the respiratory enzyme system are localized in the membrane system in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and B. megaterium.