Characteristic morphology of intracellular microcolonies of Legionella oakridgensis OR-10

Can J Microbiol. 2012 Feb;58(2):179-83. doi: 10.1139/w11-126. Epub 2012 Jan 20.

Abstract

Legionella oakridgensis occasionally causes pneumonia in humans. We report here the characteristic morphology of intracellular microcolonies of L. oakridgensis OR-10 in infected epithelial cells. By light microscopy after Gimenez staining, the bacteria showed serpentine-like chain, disk-like conglomerate, and granular forms when they grew intracellularly in Vero cells, HeLa cells, and A549 cells. In a time-lapse study, we observed the progressive change from a serpentine-like chain form to a conglomerate form in Vero cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that L. oakridgensis OR-10 proliferated both inside membrane structures and in the cytoplasm. Such highly serpentine chain growth has not been reported in any intracellular bacteria. Furthermore, these results imply that L. oakridgensis OR-10 may be proliferating inside the endoplasmic reticulum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cytoplasm / microbiology*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / microbiology
  • Epithelial Cells / microbiology
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Legionella / growth & development*
  • Legionella / physiology
  • Vero Cells