Electron microscopic studies using thin sections revealed that Thermus aquaticus has a structure similar to that of most other gram-negative bacteria. The cell envelope is tripartite: plasma membrane, thin middle layer, and a thicker and irregular outer layer. The outer layer appears to be joined to the plasma membrane by a series of connections and, when seen in tangential section, the outer l...

The virus-host interaction is essential to understanding the role that viruses play in ecological and geochemical processes in deep-sea vent ecosystems. Virus-induced changes in cellular gene expression and host physiology have been studied extensively. However, the molecular mechanism of interaction between a bacteriophage and its host at high temperature remains poorly understood. In the pres...