Figure 3

Alteration of bacterial features other than growth or agglutination in S. aureus is caused by bovine IgG antibodies regardless of antigen–antibody reaction. Bacterial features of S. aureus in culture with anti-S. aureus were determined using a microbial particle counter and a scanning electron microscopy. A Size and autofluorescence intensity that can be observed by the microbial particle counter were increased gradually when S. aureus was cultured with either anti-S. aureus or control IgG whereas those bacterial features were not altered when S. aureus was cultured without any antibody treatment. The analyzer show dots that indicate the detected particles, including mostly bacteria and some debris in the medium. The difference in the color of the dot indicates the difference in the number of particles detected. Bar graphs indicate the fold difference in the number of particles observed when the number detected in medium alone is indicated as 1. Right three panels present comparisons at different culture time under same culture medium condition. Bottom five panels present comparisons at different culture medium condition at same culture time. B Scanning electron microscopy of S. aureus showed that there is no difference in morphological characteristics (not number) of S. aureus regardless of culture conditions. Three separate experiments were performed, and representative data are shown. The p values calculated using one-way factorial analyses of variance in each diameter in comparison with different culture time in the same culture medium (shown on the right three panels) or different culture medium in the same culture time (shown on the bottom five panes) are ^#p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 (vs medium only or None).