Determination of the Structure and Composition of the ‘Sulphur Granules’ of Actinomyces bovis

摘要

SUMMARY: ‘Sulphur granules’ of Actinomyces bovis were isolated from a case of bovine actionmycosis. These were examined in ultrathin sections with the electron microscope, in stained sections with the light microscope or in wet mounts before and after chemical extraction with the light and phase microscope. In addition chemical analyses were done on the granules and on organisms grown in vitro. The combined results showed the granule is a mycelial mass of Actinomyces bovis cemented together by a polysaccharide+protein complex and containing about 50% calcium phosphate. With the exception of the calcium phosphate, the granule had essentially the same composition as organisms grown in vitro. It is concluded that the ‘clubs’ of the granule represent normal hyphae encapsulated with the same polysaccharide+protein complex, that the basic structure of the granule represents the organism itself or products formed by it and that the mycelial mass is mineralized by calcium phosphate derived from the host as a result of phosphatase activity of the host and organism.