Scanning electron micrographs of <i>V. cholerae</i> strain N16961.

<p>Panel A: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of <i>V. cholerae</i> grown statically overnight at room temperature in L-broth. Panel B: Images obtained with SEM from <i>V. cholerae</i> grown overnight statically at room temperature in FSLW microcosm. Images i to v exhibit diverse <i>V. cholerae</i> morphologies. Image vi obtained after an aliquot of 100 µl of the 24 h old microcosm was transferred to L-broth and incubated statically overnight at room temperature before SEM was performed. Panel C: Images obtained with SEM from <i>V. cholerae</i> persisting statically at room temperature in microcosm for 180 days. Images i through v exhibit different <i>V. cholerae</i> morphologies. Image vi obtained after an aliquot of 100 µl of the 180 days old microcosm was transferred to L-broth and incubated overnight at room temperature before SEM was performed. Panel D: Images obtained with SEM from <i>V. cholerae</i> persisting statically at room temperature in microcosm for 700 days. Images i through v exhibit different <i>V. cholerae</i> morphologies. Image vi obtained after an aliquot of 100 µl of the 700-day old microcosm was transferred to L-broth and incubated overnight at room temperature before SEM was performed. (scale bar, 1 µm; thick arrows indicate evidence of cell division; thin arrows indicate bud and OMVs formation).