Microtubular configurations during endosperm development in Phaseolus vulgaris

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 1489-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. XuHan ◽  
A. A. M. Van Lammeren

Microtubular cytoskeletons in nuclear, alveolar, and cellular endosperm of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) were analyzed immunocytochemically and by electron microscopy to reveal their function during cellularization. Nuclear endosperm showed a fine network of microtubules between the wide-spaced nuclei observed towards the chalazal pole. Near the embryo, where nuclei were densely packed, bundles of microtubules radiated from nuclei. They were formed just before alveolus formation and functioned in spacing nuclei and in forming internuclear, phragmoplast-like structures that gave rise to nonmitosis-related cell plates. During alveolus formation cell plates extended and fused with other newly formed walls, thus forming the walls of alveoli. Growing wall edges of cell plates exhibited arrays of microtubules perpendicular to the plane of the wall, initially. When two growing walls were about to fuse, microtubules of both walls interacted, and because of the interaction of microtubules, the cell walls changed their position. When a growing wall was about to fuse with an already existing wall, such interactions between microtubules were not observed. It is therefore concluded that interactions of microtubules of fusing walls influence shape and position of walls. Thus microtubules control the dynamics of cell wall positioning and initial cell shaping. Key words: cell wall, cellularization, endosperm, microtubule, Phaseolus vulgaris.

Author(s):  
S. E. Keckler ◽  
D. M. Dabbs ◽  
N. Yao ◽  
I. A. Aksay

Cellular organic structures such as wood can be used as scaffolds for the synthesis of complex structures of organic/ceramic nanocomposites. The wood cell is a fiber-reinforced resin composite of cellulose fibers in a lignin matrix. A single cell wall, containing several layers of different fiber orientations and lignin content, is separated from its neighboring wall by the middle lamella, a lignin-rich region. In order to achieve total mineralization, deposition on and in the cell wall must be achieved. Geological fossilization of wood occurs as permineralization (filling the void spaces with mineral) and petrifaction (mineralizing the cell wall as the organic component decays) through infiltration of wood with inorganics after growth. Conversely, living plants can incorporate inorganics into their cells and in some cases into the cell walls during growth. In a recent study, we mimicked geological fossilization by infiltrating inorganic precursors into wood cells in order to enhance the properties of wood. In the current work, we use electron microscopy to examine the structure of silica formed in the cell walls after infiltration of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS).


1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 762-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Saikawa ◽  
Masami Oguchi ◽  
Rafael F. Castañeda Ruiz

Infection of nematodes by Meristacrum asterospermum and Zygnemomyces echinulatus was initiated by conidia adhering to the nematode's cuticle. Each conidium developed an infection peg to penetrate the nematode after adhesion. In M. asterospermum, an infection peg just under the penetration was found in ultrathin sections, in which the peg's cell wall was broken into several lobes that were covered entirely with an amorphous mass of electron-opaque substance. Septa formed in the apical portion of aerial conidiophore under conidiation. The septal wall was nonperforate and often contained electron-opaque inclusions. Vegetative hyphae of Z. echinulatus had typical bifurcate septa, but septa at both ends of the pedicel of conidia were often slightly deformed. Key words: infection of nematodes, Meristacrum asterospermum, septum, Zygnemomyces echinulatus.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1048-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunzhen Zheng ◽  
Daniel J. Cosgrove ◽  
Gang Ning

AbstractWe have used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to study the high-resolution organization of cellulose microfibrils in onion epidermal cell walls. We frequently found that conventional “rule of thumb” conditions for imaging of biological samples did not yield high-resolution images of cellulose organization and often resulted in artifacts or distortions of cell wall structure. Here we detail our method of one-step fixation and dehydration with 100% ethanol, followed by critical point drying, ultrathin iridium (Ir) sputter coating (3 s), and FESEM imaging at a moderate accelerating voltage (10 kV) with an In-lens detector. We compare results obtained with our improved protocol with images obtained with samples processed by conventional aldehyde fixation, graded dehydration, sputter coating with Au, Au/Pd, or carbon, and low-voltage FESEM imaging. The results demonstrated that our protocol is simpler, causes little artifact, and is more suitable for high-resolution imaging of cell wall cellulose microfibrils whereas such imaging is very challenging by conventional methods.


1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (12) ◽  
pp. 2483-2489 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. Huang ◽  
E. G. Kokko

Transmission electron microscopy revealed that hyphae of the hyperparasite Coniothyrium minitans invade sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, resulting in the destruction and disintegration of the sclerotium tissues. The dark-pigmented rind tissue is more resistant to invasion by the hyperparasite than the unpigmented cortical and medullary tissues. Evidence from cell wall etching at the penetration site suggests that chemical activity is required for hyphae of C. minitans to penetrate the thick, melanized rind walls. The medullary tissue infected by C. minitans shows signs of plasmolysis, aggregation, and vacuolization of cytoplasm and dissolution of the cell walls. While most of the hyphal cells of C. minitans in the infected sclerotium tissue are normal, some younger hyphal cells in the rind tissue were lysed and devoid of normal contents.


1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1209-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward C. Yeung ◽  
Michael J. Cavey

The formation of the endosperm in Phaseolus vulgaris L. conforms to the nuclear pattern of endosperm development. The endosperm is partially cellularized in the vicinity of the developing embryo, while the rest of the endosperm remains multinucleate. Mitotic activity of the endosperm is gradually confined to the region adjacent to the tips of the enlarging cotyledons. Continuing mitotic activity in this region results in the formation of cellular endosperm in the bean seed. At the cotyledon stage of embryo development, except in the region of the degenerating nucellus, the entire surface of the developing embryo is covered by a layer of cellular endosperm cells. Initially, the cellular endosperm is loosely attached to the inner surface of the seed coat. With the disappearance of the liquid endosperm, it becomes firmly attached. Further expansion of the seed results in the separation of cellular endosperm cells along their long axes. As the seed matures, the cellular endosperm dries, with no apparent degradation of its cells.


2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (9) ◽  
pp. 964-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young Ho Kim ◽  
Kwang-Hyung Kim

Stem disks from 2-year-old cacti Cereus tetragonus (susceptible) and C. peruvianus (resistant) were inoculated in the center (pith) with Glomerella cingulata isolated from Colletotrichum stem rot in three-angled cacti. The susceptible cactus became extensively colonized, whereas colonization was limited to a small area in the resistant cactus. The resistant cactus formed prominent abscission layers (ALs) in parenchyma internal to the inoculation site. Ethanol extracts of the fungal culture also stimulated AL formation in the resistant cactus. Initial cell division followed at 2 to 4 days after treatment, and layering of multiple cells at 7 days after treatment. After 10 days, the outer layers were sometimes sloughed from the inner layers. No AL formation was induced in susceptible C. tetragonus treated with ethanol extract or in untreated control cacti. Light and electron microscopy revealed that initial cell division occurred by cell wall formation, and that an additional cell wall was layered in pre-existing parenchyma cells without ordinary cell division. Later, separation layers formed in ALs where inner cell walls appeared to be thickened secondarily, and the cell walls and middle lamella within the layer dissolved. These results suggest that AL formation in the resistant cactus is induced by fungal metabolites, and that it serves as a histological barrier against anthracnose pathogens.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1533-1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis J. Menapace

Eleocharis R. Br. achenes were examined employing scanning electron microscopy to ascertain the systematic potential of the achene wall. It was found that the epidermis has useful microscopic characters to assist in the systematic assessment of Eleocharis. Acid-treated achenes, with their cuticle and outer periclinal cell walls removed, revealed micromorphological differences in epidermal features among the 26 taxa studied. Characters of taxonomic interest include the configuration of the anticlinal cell walls, the contour of the cell lumens, in addition to the presence or absence of lumen pits, lumen depressions, and silica bodies. Such characters may be of value in assessing the infrageneric ranks of Svenson. Preliminary results support the Aciculares, Chaetarieae, Leiocarpeae, Multicaules, Ovatae, Palustres, Sulcatae, and Truncatae as natural taxa. In contrast, current data suggest that the Pauciflorae, Ocreatae, Rigidae, and Tenuissimae are unnatural entities. Key words: Cyperaceae, Eleocharis, SEM, achene, micromorphology.


1978 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 782-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
N L Pearlmutter ◽  
C A Lembi

Chitin was visualized in cell walls after hydrolysis with potassium hydroxide and subsequent postfixation of the deacetylated polysaccharide (chitosan) in OsO4. Areas of chitin deposition appeared dark borwn by light microscopy and electron dense in the electron microscope. With this method, the presence of chitin was demonstrated in the cell walls of the green alga Pithophora oedogonia (Montagne) Wittrock and two fungi, Ceratocystis ulmi Buism. (C. Moreau) and Blastocladiella emersonii Cantino and Hyatt. Most of the chitin in P. oedogonia ws found in the crosswall disk and small amounts occurred in the outer longitudinal walls. The septal disk of C. ulmi also contained chitin, but significant amounts were present in the inner and outer regions of longitudinal walls as well. Chitin was present throughout the walls of B. emersonii. Small amounts of chitin were not easily demonstrated by this technique, but removal of chitosan by exposure to dilute acetic acid before osmium fixation disrupted cell wall integrity, suggesting that small amounts of the structural polysaccharide had been removed.


1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 1147-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Harris ◽  
Willard A. Taber

The composition of the cell walls of synnemal and vegetative hyphae of Ceratocystis ulmi was studied by fractionation and assay of released compounds. Residues after enzymatic hydrolyses were examined by electron microscopy. The synnemal wall was found to have 67% carbohydrate, 4.52% amino sugar, 5.02% protein, 1.6% lipid, and 0.59% ash, which accounted for 78.7% of the cell wall. The vegetative hyphal wall contained 56% carbohydrate, 3.44% amino sugar, 7.92% protein, 4.5% lipid, and 1.45% ash, which totaled 73.3% of the wall weight. Sugars identified were D-glucose, D-mannose, D-galactose, and L-rhamnose. Enzymatic hydrolysis of both wall types by cellulase and laminaranase indicated the presence of beta-1,3 and beta-1,4 linkages of glucose polymers. N-acetylglucosamine was liberated by chitinase. Most of the 16 amino acids detected in each wall type were at least twice as abundant in vegetative hyphal walls as in synnemal hyphal walls. Cellulase and laminaranase treatment of cell walls revealed a fibrillar structure. Chitinase-treated walls did not appear as fibrous, suggesting that the fibrous structure may be mostly chitinous. Synnemal cell walls are covered by electron-dense granules which may correspond to the pigment in the synnemal hyphae.


1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 662-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude Roux ◽  
Olivier Bricaud ◽  
Didier Le Coeur ◽  
Dagmar Triebel

Stigmidium lecidellae Triebel, Roux et Le Coeur sp.nov., a mild pathogenic lichenicolous fungus growing on the apothecia of Lecidella elaeochroma (Ach.) M. Choisy is described in detail and compared with other species of Stigmidium that grow on the apothecia of the host. The staining of parts of cell walls with cresyl blue is constant at species level and, therefore, is taxonomically relevant in the genus Stigmidium. The dye also allows to distinguish some ultrastructural details of the vegetative hyphal cells, asci, and ascospores. Among the fungi species growing on the apothecia of lichens, three groups are distinguished on the basis of their hamathecial structure, one of which should be excluded from the genus Stigmidium and included in the genus Sphaerellothecium. A key to the determination of the species is presented. Key words: lichenicolous fungi, Stigmidium, Sphaerellothecium, taxonomy, taxonomic key, cell wall, staining reactions, hamathecium.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document