Morphology of the viable but nonculturableVibrio choleraeas determined bt the freeze fixation technique

The morphology of the nonculturable Vibrio cholerae strain TSI-4 was examined by the freeze fixation technique of electron microscopy and subsequently four unique structures were found in the fine structure s of this bacterium. The size of the cell was about 2/3 of the growing cell. Although the cell was observed to have an outer membrane as well as the cell membrane and cytoplasm, the outer membrane was undulated and had a surface layer of fine fibers. The peptidoglycan layer was thick and more electron dense than that of normal cells.