ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE BACTEROIDS AND ROOT NODULES OF LUPINUS LUTEUS

Abstract

No intracellular infection threads were observed in ultrathin sections of young root nodules of lupine, although nodule bacteria could be found in the intercellular spaces between the root cortical cells. Evidence suggests that in certain instances the plant cell walls can be disrupted locally, allowing the bacteria to pass into cytoplasm of the host cell. The spread of infection may be initiated in this manner and extended by division of infected cells. No plant-produced enclosing membranes were present around bacteria in the intercellular spaces but such structures developed after the bacteria had entered the plant cell. Although the origin of these membranes is debatable, in the present work it appeared that they were formed de novo, perhaps in a manner akin to the development of the cell plate during cell division. Most of the bacterial cells possessed a wide subwall space lying between the bacterial cell wall and plasma membrane. Discontinuities present in the latter membrane may account for the ribosome-like material found in the subwall space.