Figure 2

Butt splice formation of right-handed FJ7 macrofiber fragments. Eight frames from film sequence 2 show spontaneous end to end joining of fragments produced by entwining of cell filaments at their broken ends. Fragments no longer carrying terminal loops were produced by toothpick disruption of a parental fiber. Once joined the two fragments behaved as integrated components of a single fiber in terms of twisting, bending and writhing motions.