A correlated light and electron microscopic study of symbiotic growth and differentiation in Pisum sativum root nodules

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (18) ◽  
pp. 2163-2186 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Newcomb

Plants of the garden pea Pisum sativum cv. Little Marvel were grown in aeroponic culture to facilitate observations and microscopy and were inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum, and nodules were sampled at five weekly intervals for light and electron microscopy. The invasion of the cortical cells by the infection thread, the structure of the infection thread, and the release of bacteria from it into the host cytoplasm and the subsequent symbiotic growth and differentiation of the two organisms are described in detail. The fine structure of the nodule is correlated with light microscopic observations and morphogenesis. A restriction in the use of the term 'vesicle' is proposed because of the current multiple and confusing usage of the term. The loss of the nodule meristem and its morphogenetic significance are discussed.

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 502-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Newcomb ◽  
R. L. Peterson ◽  
Dale Callaham ◽  
John G. Torrey

Correlated fluorescence, bright-field, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopic studies were made on developing root nodules of Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult. (Myricaceae) produced by a soil actinomycete which invades the root and establishes a symbiosis leading to fixation of atmospheric dinitrogen. After entering the host via a root hair infection, the hyphae of the endophyte perforate root cortical cells by local degradation of host cell walls and penetration of the host cytoplasm. The intracellular hyphae are always surrounded by host plasma membrane and a thick polysaccharide material termed the capsule. (For convenience, term intracellular refers to the endophyte being inside a Comptonia cell as distinguished from being intercellular, i.e.. between host cells, even though the former is actually extracellular as the endophyte is separated from the host cytoplasm by the host plasmalemma.) Numerous profiles of vesiculate rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) occur near the growing hyphae. Although the capsule shows a positive Thiery reaction indicating its polysaccharide nature, the fibrillar contents of the RER do not, leaving uncertain whether the capsule results from polymers derived from the RER. Amyloplasts of the cortical cells lose their starch deposits during hyphal proliferation. The hyphae branch extensively in specific layers of the cortex, penetrating much of the host cytoplasm. At this stage, hyphal ends become swollen and form septate club-shaped vesicles within the periphery of the host cells. Lipid-like inclusions and Thiery-positive particles, possibly glycogen, are observed in the hyphae at this time. Associated with hyphal development is an increase in average host cell volume, although nuclear volume appears to remain constant. Concomitant with vesicle maturation, the mitochondrial population increases sharply, suggesting a possible relationship to vesicle function. The intimate interactions between host and endophyte during development of the symbiotic relationship are emphasized throughout.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (18) ◽  
pp. 2155-2162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunihiko Syōno ◽  
William Newcomb ◽  
John G. Torrey

Quantitative changes in cytokinins were examined in developing root nodules on the lateral roots of seedlings of the garden pea Pisum sativum cv. Little Marvel infected with Rhizobium leguminosarum strain 128 C53.Cytokinin activity was highest in 2- and 3-week-old nodules, when the growth rate was high, and decreased in older nodules. The cytokinin activities of 3-week-old nodules of various sizes were positively correlated with mitotic indices. In 3- and 4-week-old nodules most of the cytokinins were present in the white meristematic tip and not in the infected nitrogen-fixing or senescent cells. Since high cytokinin levels were associated with nodules having high mitotic rates or with the meristematic cells, it is proposed that cytokinins influence nodule morphogenesis by regulating the mitotic activity of the nodule meristem.


2011 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wojciech Borucki

Morphometric procedures were used to examine peroxisome number and di-stribution in pea (<em>Pisum sativum</em> L.) root nodules under NaCl (50 mM) or HgCl<sub>2</sub> (7.3 µM) treatment. Peroxisomes were visualized cytochemically in meristem, invasion zone and prefixing zone of pea root nodules by catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity. The observations using light and electron microscopy revealed that the peroxisomes were predominantly spherical in shape and showed catalase activity. In nitrogen fixation zone, catalase active peroxisomes were observed occasionally. Bacteroids of nitrogen fixing zone showed enhanced cata-lase activity probably as a response to higher level of oxidative stress. Fluorescence microscopy investigations revealed enhanced level of (homo)glutathione in prefixing and nitrogen-fixing zone of NaCl- and Hg<sup>2+</sup>treated nodules, which served as an indicator of antioxidative response. Morphometric measurements revealed that during differentiation of meristematic cells into central tissue (bacteroidal tissue) cells an increase in peroxisome number was observed in unstressed nodules. Peroxisomes located in meristem, invasion zone and prefixing zone of NaCl- and Hg<sup>2+</sup>-treated nodules outnumbered that in control nodules. A substantial enlargement of peroxisome profiles was detected in NaCl- and Hg<sup>2+</sup>treated nodules. Peroxisome divisions observed in meristematic and infection thread penetration zone were responsible for an increase in peroxisome number.


Author(s):  
J. A. Pollock ◽  
M. Martone ◽  
T. Deerinck ◽  
M. H. Ellisman

Localization of specific proteins in cells by both light and electron microscopy has been facilitate by the availability of antibodies that recognize unique features of these proteins. High resolution localization studies conducted over the last 25 years have allowed biologists to study the synthesis, translocation and ultimate functional sites for many important classes of proteins. Recently, recombinant DNA techniques in molecular biology have allowed the production of specific probes for localization of nucleic acids by “in situ” hybridization. The availability of these probes potentially opens a new set of questions to experimental investigation regarding the subcellular distribution of specific DNA's and RNA's. Nucleic acids have a much lower “copy number” per cell than a typical protein, ranging from one copy to perhaps several thousand. Therefore, sensitive, high resolution techniques are required. There are several reasons why Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscopy (IVEM) and High Voltage Electron Microscopy (HVEM) are most useful for localization of nucleic acids in situ.


Author(s):  
Peter K. Mueller ◽  
Glenn R. Smith ◽  
Leslie M Carpenter ◽  
Ronald L. Stanley

At the present time the primary objective of the electron microscopy group of the Air and Industrial Hygiene Laboratory is the development of a method suitable for use in establishing an air quality standard for asbestos in ambient air and for use in its surveillance. The main concept and thrust of our approach for the development of this method is to obtain a true picture of fiber occurrence as a function of particle size and asbestos type utilizing light and electron microscopy.We have now available an electron micrographic atlas of all asbestos types including selected area diffraction patterns and examples of fibers isolated from air samples. Several alternative approaches for measuring asbestos in ambient air have been developed and/or evaluated. Our experiences in this regard will be described. The most promising method involves: 1) taking air samples on cellulose ester membrane filters with a nominal pore size of 0.8 micron; 2) ashing in a low temperature oxygen plasma for several hours;


1975 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
A. Pleshkewych ◽  
L. Levine

A prominent cytoplasmic inclusion present in living mouse primary spermatocytes has been observed by both light and electron microscopy. It began to form at prometaphase and continued to increase in thickness and length as the cells developed. By metaphase it was a distinct sausage-shaped boundary that enclosed a portion of the cytoplasm between the spindle and the cell membrane. At the end of metaphase, the inclusion reached its maximum length. At telophase, it was divided between the daughter secondaries. The inclusion persisted as a circular contour in the interphase secondary spermatocyte. Electron microscopy of the same cultured cells that were previously observed with light microscopy revealed that the inclusion was a distinctive formation of membranes. It consisted of agranular cisternae and vesicles, and was therefore a membranous complex. Many of the smaller vesicles in the membranous complex resembled those found in the spindle. The cisternae in the membranous complex were identical to the cisternal endoplasmic reticulum of interphase primary spermatocytes. Nevertheless, the organization of vesicles and cisternae into the membranous complex was unique for the primaries in division stages, since such an organization was not present in their interphase stages.


1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. S10-S13 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Doty ◽  
E. R. Morey-Holton ◽  
G. N. Durnova ◽  
A. S. Kaplansky

The Soviet biosatellite COSMOS 2044 carried adult rats on a spaceflight that lasted 13.8 days and was intended to repeat animal studies carried out on COSMOS 1887. Skeletal tissue and tendon from animals flown on COSMOS 2044 were studied by light and electron microscopy, histochemistry, and morphometric techniques. Studies were confined to the bone cells and vasculature from the weight-bearing tibias. Results indicated that vascular changes at the periosteal and subperiosteal region of the tibia were not apparent by light microscopy or histochemistry. However, electron microscopy indicated that vascular inclusions were present in bone samples from the flight animals. A unique combination of microscopy and histochemical techniques indicated that the endosteal osteoblasts from this same mid-diaphyseal region demonstrated a slight (but not statistically significant) reduction in bone cell activity. Electron-microscopic studies of the tendons from metatarsal bones showed a collagen fibril disorganization as a result of spaceflight. Thus changes described for COSMOS 1887 were present in COSMOS 2044, but the changes ascribed to spaceflight were not as evident.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67
Author(s):  
Anna Lenart-Boroń ◽  
Tadeusz Zając ◽  
Piotr Mateusz Boroń ◽  
Agnieszka Klimek-Kopyra

SummaryThe bacterial nodulation (nod) genes are essential in the formation process of root nodules. This study was aimed to verify the occurrence of nodule-associated bacteria in two pea varieties (“Tarchalska” and “Klif ”) inoculated withRhizobiuminoculants – Nitragine™ and a noncommercial one produced by the Polish Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG). The number of colonies isolated on yeast extract mannitol (YEM) agar from the nodules of “Klif ” inoculated with IUNG inoculants was significantly higher than the number of colonies isolated from other variants. Species identification was based on sequencing of 16S rDNA, which revealed that despite careful sterilization of nodules, sequences of other bacterial species were detected. Among them, one sequence belonged toRhizobium leguminosarum(isolated from IUNG inoculant). To assess the presence of nodulation-capableRhizobium, amplification of thenodCgene was performed, which revealed that of 29 samples, 19 were positive. The remaining isolates, including reference strain and bacteria isolated from Nitragine™, lacked this gene. The results show that pea nodules harbor a very diverse community of bacteria. The lack ofnodCgene in some strains isolated from plants inoculated with Nitragine™ and with IUNG inoculant proves that even ifR. leguminosarumare abundant, they may not be efficient in nodulation.


Parasitology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 140 (7) ◽  
pp. 855-867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Y. SOKOLOVA ◽  
G. G. PASKEROVA ◽  
Y. M. ROTARI ◽  
E. S. NASSONOVA ◽  
A. V. SMIRNOV

SUMMARYClass Rudimicrosporea Sprague 1977, with its single family Metchnikovellidae, comprises hyperparasites of gregarines from the guts of marine invertebrates. Metchnikovellids remain poorly studied in spite of their significance to the evolutionary history of microsporidia; their ultrastructure and life cycles require further investigation. Here we present results of the light- and electron-microscopy study of Metchnikovella incurvata Caulleri and Mesnil 1914, isolated from lecudinid gregarines, parasitizing polychaetes Pygospio elegans in the White Sea littoral zone, and yet described only on the light-microscopic level. The life cycle of this microsporidium includes 2 sporogonies: free (FS) and sac-bound (SBS). In FS, sporonts develop into multinuclear cells (sporogonial plasmodia), which generate sporoblasts and free spores residing in direct contact with the host cytoplasm. Electron microscopy revealed their metchnikovellidean structure: a horseshoe-shaped nucleus, short manubrium perpendicular to the long axis of the spore, and a polar cap in a separate membrane container. Merogony was not observed. The earliest stages of SBS were chains of binucleate cells. They underwent a series of nuclear and cell divisions, produced extracellular envelopes, and split into boomerang-shaped spore sacs, containing up to 16 spores each. Ultrastructure and sizes of sac-bounded spores were similar to those of free-living ones. An amended diagnosis of M. incurvata is provided.


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