The nucleoid structure and the partition in the hyperthermophilic archaeon
Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1 were observed by a combination of phase-con
trast microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The nucleoids occurred as rou
nded fluorescent foci centrally located in the cells and as differences in
fluorescence intensity between exponential and stationary phases. The cellu
lar space occupied by the nucleoid in the stationary phase was larger than
that in the exponential phase. Various shapes of nucleoid in the exponentia
l-phase cells were observed, indicating that nucleoid separation was proces
sed under cell cycle control. The number of cells which showed distinctive
division stages was counted and the proportions of dividing cells were dete
rmined. About half of the observed cells were in the replication stage. Mor
e than 40% of the counted cells possessed a fully replicated but not separa
ted form of nucleoid. Only 8% of the total cells clearly showed visible con
striction. These results suggested that the post-replication period before
cell division was relatively as long as the eucaryal gap period (G2); howev
er, the period of visible cell constriction was almost the same as that of
the bacteria.