Basic Morphological Properties and Ribosome Enumeration Data of Virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Obtained from Structome Analysis

Abstract

Recently, author and colleagues demonstrated that TEM images of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) processed through rapid freeze-substitution provided exquisite preservation of the ultrastructure distinct from samples prepared through conventional chemical fixation. Here, we show data obtained from structome (quantitative three-dimensional structural information of whole cells at the electron microscopic level) analysis of MTB cells with examination of serial ultrathin sections, including the basic morphological properties and the ribosome density. This is the first structome data of prokaryote. Comparison of ribosome density between MTB and yeast cells was performed and relationship between ribosome density and resistance mechanism of ribosome-targeted anti-tuberculosis drug was discussed.