Reduction of tellurite and deesterification of fluorescein diacetate are not well correlated with the viability of mycobacteria

N. Mor, M. Resnick, F. Silbaq, H. Bercovier, L. Levy*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Both Mycobacterium leprae and M. lepraemurium (MLM) were capable of reducing tellurium as tellurite ion (Te4+) to elemental tellurium (Te), seen by electron microscopy as fine crystals within the bacterial cells. There appeared to be close correspondence between the capacity to reduce tellurite, bright green fluorescence after staining with fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and the ability of M. smegmatis to multiply in culture. Likewise, there appeared to be correspondence between tellurite reduction and fluorescence after FDA staining for MLM subjected to prolonged storage in the cold or to heating at 70°C. However, correspondence with tellurite-reduction or fluorescence after FDA staining was not observed when death of MLM occured.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)279-288
Number of pages10
JournalAnnales de l'Institut Pasteur Microbiology
Volume139
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1988

Keywords

  • Fluorescein
  • Mycobacterium leprae
  • Mycobacterium lepraemurium
  • Mycobacterium smegmatis
  • Tellurite
  • Viability

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