High viscosity and anisotropy characterize the cytoplasm of fungal dormant stress-resistant spores.

Ascospores of the fungus Talaromyces macrosporus are dormant and extremely stress resistant, whereas fungal conidia--the main airborne vehicles of distribution--are not. Here, physical parameters of the cytoplasm of these types of spores were compared. Cytoplasmic viscosity and level of anisotropy as judged by spin probe studies (electron spin resonance) were extremely high in dormant ascospores and during early germination and decreased only partly after trehalose degradation and glucose efflux. Upon prosilition (ejection of the spore), these parameters fell sharply to values characteristic of vegetative cells. These changes occurred without major volume changes that suggest dramatic changes in cytoplasmic organization. Azide reversibly inhibited prosilition as well as the decline in cytoplasmic parameters. No organelle structures were observed in etched, cryoplaned specimens of ascospores by low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM), confirming the high cytoplasmic viscosity. However, cell structures became visible upon prosilition, indicating reduced viscosity. The viscosity of fresh conidia of different Penicillium species was lower, namely, 3.5 to 4.8 cP, than that of ascospores, near 15 cP. In addition the level of anisotropic motion was markedly lower in these cells (h(0)/h(+1) = 1.16 versus 1.4). This was confirmed by LTSEM images showing cell structures. The decline of cytoplasmic viscosity in conidia during germination was linked with a gradual increase in cell volume. These data show that mechanisms of cytoplasm conservation during germination differ markedly between ascospores and conidia.

Induction of air embolism in xylem conduits of pre-defined diameter.

A new method is presented that enables the induction of embolisms in a fraction of all xylem vessels, based on diameter, at one cut end of a stem segment. The method is based on the different capillary characteristic of xylem vessels of different cross-sectional size. To verify the method, air embolisms were induced in cut xylem vessels of chrysanthemum (Dendranthemaxgrandiflorum Tzvelev cv. Cassa) stem segments at different xylem tensions and compared with the distribution of gas-filled vessels as visualized by cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM). At -6 kPa xylem pressure, air-entrance was only induced in large diameter vessels (>30 microm), while at -24 kPa embolisms were induced in almost all xylem vessels (>10 microm). Although the principle of the embolization method worked well, smaller diameter vessels were observed to be embolized than was expected according to the calculations. The role of cross-sectional shape and contact angle between xylem sap and vessel wall at the menisci are discussed. After correction for the observed (diameter independent) deviation from circularity of the cross-sectional vessel shape the contact angle was calculated to be approximately 55 degrees. Hydraulic resistance (Rh) measurements before and after embolization showed that the effect of embolizing only large diameter cut xylem vessels had only a small influence on overall Rh of a stem segment. Embolizing all cut xylem vessels at one cut end almost trebled overall Rh. The difference was discussed in the light of the networking capacity of the xylem system.

The plant pathogen Rhodococcus fascians colonizes the exterior and interior of the aerial parts of plants.

Rhodococcus fascians is a plant-pathogenic bacterium that causes malformations on aerial plant parts, whereby leafy galls occur at axillary meristems. The colonization behavior on Nicotiana tabacum and Arabidopsis thaliana plants was examined. Independent of the infection methods, R. fascians extensively colonized the plant surface where the bacteria were surrounded by a slime layer. R. fascians caused the collapse of epidermal cells and penetrated intercellularly into the plant tissues. The onset of symptom development preceded the extensive colonization of the interior. The meristematic regions induced by pathogenic strain D188 were surrounded by bacteria. The nonpathogenic strain, D188-5, colonized the exterior of the plant equally well, but the linear plasmid (pFiD188) seemed to be involved in the penetration efficiency and colonization of tobacco tissues.

Xylem hydraulic conductivity related to conduit dimensions along chrysanthemum stems.

The stem xylem conduit dimensions and hydraulic conductivity of chrysanthemum plants (Dendranthema x grandiflorum Tzvelev cv. Cassa) were analysed and quantified. Simple exponential relations describe conduit length distribution, height dependency of conduit length distribution, and height dependency of stem hydraulic conductivity. These mathematical descriptions can be used to model the xylem water transport system. Within a chrysanthemum stem of 1.0 m, the conduit half-length (the length within which 50% of the conduits have their end) was 0.029 m at soil surface and decreased by half at a height of 0.6 m. With each 0.34 m increase in height up the stem, the hydraulic conductivity decreased by 50%. The resistance calculated from conduit lumen characteristics was 70% of the measured resistance. The remaining unexplained part of the hydraulic resistance is at least partly caused by inter-conduit connections.

Cryo-planing for cryo-scanning electron microscopy.

In the past decade, investigators of cryo-planing for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) have developed techniques that enable observations of flat sample surfaces. This study reviews these sample preparation techniques, compares and contrasts their results, and introduces modifications that improve results from cryo-planing. A prerequisite for all successful cryo-planing required a stable attachment of the specimen to a holder. In most cases, clamping with a screw mechanism and using indium as space-filler sufficed. Once this problem was solved, any of three existing cryo-planing methods could be used to provide successful results: cryo-milling, microtomy in a cold room, and cryo-ultramicrotomy. This study introduces modifications to the cryo-planing technique that produces flat surfaces of any desired plane through a specimen. These flat surfaces of frozen, fully hydrated samples can be used to improve observations from cryo-SEM as well as to enhance results from x-ray microanalysis and (digital) image analysis. Cryo-planing results of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflorum Tzvelev) stems, hazel (Corylus avelane L.) stems, and repeseed (Brassica napus L.) pistils are presented to illustrate the use of the planing method on fibrous, hard, and delicate materials, respectively.