Reipert Siegfried, Gruber Daniela, Cyran Norbert, Schmidt Brigitte, de la Torre Noetzel Rosa, Sancho Leopoldo G, Goga Michal, Bačkor Martin, Schmidt Katy
Cell Imaging and Ultrastructural Research, University of Vienna, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
Department of Earth Observation, National Institute for Aerospace Technology, 28850 Madrid, Spain.
Plants (Basel). 2023 Nov 30;12(23):4039. doi: 10.3390/plants12234039.
(1) Background: Lichens, as an important part of the terrestrial ecosystem, attract the attention of various research disciplines. To elucidate their ultrastructure, transmission electron microscopy of resin-embedded samples is indispensable. Since most observations of lichen samples are generated via chemical fixation and processing at room temperature, they lack the rapid immobilization of live processes and are prone to preparation artefacts. To improve their preservation, cryoprocessing was tested in the past, but never widely implemented, not least because of an extremely lengthy protocol. (2) Methods: Here, we introduce an accelerated automated freeze substitution protocol with continuous agitation. Using the example of three lichen species, we demonstrate the preservation of the native state of algal photobionts and mycobionts in association with their extracellular matrix. (3) Results: We bring to attention the extent and the structural variability of the hyphae, the extracellular matrix and numerous crystallized metabolites. Our findings will encourage studies on transformation processes related to the compartmentation of lichen thalli. They include cryopreserved aspects of algal photobionts and observations of putative physiological relevance, such as the arrangement of numerous mitochondria within chloroplast pockets. (4) Conclusions: In summary, we present accelerated freeze substitution as a very useful tool for systematic studies of lichen ultrastructures.
(1) 背景:地衣作为陆地生态系统的重要组成部分,吸引了各个研究领域的关注。为了阐明其超微结构,对树脂包埋样品进行透射电子显微镜观察必不可少。由于对地衣样品的大多数观察是通过在室温下进行化学固定和处理产生的,它们缺乏对生命过程的快速固定,并且容易出现制备假象。为了改善其保存效果,过去曾测试过冷冻处理,但从未广泛实施,这主要是因为方案极其冗长。(2) 方法:在此,我们引入一种带有持续搅拌的加速自动冷冻置换方案。以三种地衣物种为例,我们展示了藻类光合生物和真菌共生体与其细胞外基质相关联的天然状态的保存情况。(3) 结果:我们提请注意菌丝、细胞外基质和众多结晶代谢物的范围和结构变异性。我们的发现将鼓励对与地衣叶状体分隔相关的转化过程进行研究。它们包括藻类光合生物的冷冻保存方面以及对假定生理相关性的观察结果,例如叶绿体囊泡内众多线粒体的排列。(4) 结论:总之,我们提出加速冷冻置换是地衣超微结构系统研究的一种非常有用的工具。