Early stages of sheath formation by Leptothrix sp. strain OUMS1 and its derivative sheathless mutant grown in media with or without Fe were examined by light and electron microscopy. Results showed that the initial parallel arrangement of fibrils excreted from the cells holds a key for subsequent construction of the sheath frame and that aqueous-phase Fe interacts with excreted fibrils whether fibrils are parallel-arranged or simply-intermingled.
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