Volutin granules are an intracytoplasmic storage form of complexed inorganic polyphosphate,[1] the production of which is used as one of the identifying criteria when attempting to isolate Corynebacterium diphtheriae on Löffler's medium. Polyphosphate granules display the metachromatic effect, appearing red when stained with methylene blue. Volutin granules can also be found in the cytoplasm of Saccharomyces, a genus of ascomycete fungi.[2] They are characteristic for different species and depend on the age and condition of the culture.
Volutin granules (metachromatic or Babes-Ernst granules) are highly refractive, strongly basophilic bodies consisting of polymetaphosphate. They appear reddish when stained with polychrome methylene blue or toluidine blue (metachromasia). Special staining techniques such as Albert's or Neisser's demonstrate the granules more clearly. Volutin granules are characteristically present in diphtheria bacilli. Their function is uncertain. They have been considered to represent a reserve of energy and phosphate for cell metabolism but they are most frequent in cells grown under conditions of nutritional deficiency and tend to disappear when the deficient nutrients are supplied.
depend on the age and condition of the culture. Volutingranules (metachromatic or Babes-Ernst granules) are highly refractive, strongly basophilic bodies...
the metachromatic granules formed in the polar regions. The granules are called polar granules, Babes Ernst granules or volutingranules. An enrichment medium...
gametocytes that lack volutingranules. The species is similar to Haemoproteus velans, yet the latter's gametocytes are overfilled with volutin. Dimitrov, Dimitar;...
pigments. Volutingranules are cytoplasmic inclusions of complexed inorganic polyphosphate. These granules are called metachromatic granules due to their...
filamentous rods, which can be organized into palisades. Metachromatic volutingranules containing phosphate can be seen in the rod form, but not the coccoid...
cells. However, the granules were later determined to not participate in the cell division. The colored grains are composed of volutin, whereas the colorless...
type species is 67.5 mol%. All members of the genus produce volutin (polyphosphate) granules but not capsules or endospores. A. aquaesulis has a pH optimum...