Presence of pili in species of human and animal parasites and pathogens of the genuscorynebacterium

Abstract

The presence of pili in human and animal parasites and pathogens of the genus Corynebacterium was examined. C. kutscheri, C. diphtheriae, and C. pseudodiphtheriticum possessed a fairly large number of pili, ranging from dozens to more than a hundred, in 91 to 100% of the bacterial cells. C. equi, C. hoagii, C. xerosis, C. pyogenes, and C. murisepticum had only a small number of pili in 10 to 37% of the bacterial cells. In C. bovis, C. striatum, and C. pseudotuberculosis, pili were detected in only 0.5% to 3% of the bacterial cells. The pili were similar to each other and to those of C. renale; they were not rigid and had a tendency to form bundles. The length of pili usually ranged from 0.2 to 3 mum, and their diameter was within a 2- to 6-nm range.