Scanning electron microscopic delineation of bacterial surface topology using cationized ferritin

Abstract A novel method is presented for the labelling of negatively charged bacterial cell surface structures which allows their ultrastructural observation at the scanning electron microscopic level of resolution. The method is based on treatment of bacterial cells with cationized ferritin prior to examination. The method is simple to perform, rapid, reproducible and inexpensive. The approach provides a new topographical view of the fine structure of the bacterial cell surface.

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