Abstract
High concentrations of NaCl and divalent cations were required for the stabilization of Haloferax volcanii envelopes. When the divalent cation concentration was lowered, the envelopes lost their angular shape and rouded up and the S-layer detached. When the combination of salts was just below the minimum enabling the envelope stabilization, partial rounding up and loss of the S-layer were observed. After a few days, a spontaneous and continuous reorganization of the envelope material occurred leading to the formation of geometrical envelope-like structures. This process could be stopped by either lowering the divalent cation concentration or by cooling the preparation, and resumed by restoring the initial conditions.
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Cohen, S., Shilo, M. & Kessel, M. In vitro spontaneous reorganization of Haloferax volcanii envelope material into geometrical forms. Arch. Microbiol. 160, 248–252 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00249132
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00249132