Fluorescent microscopy of viable Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ), a chytrid fungus, is a causative agent of chytridiomycosis and amphibian population declines worldwide. The sequenced genome of Bd provides information necessary for studying the fungus and its molecular biology. Fluorescent microscopy is a technique used to image targeted molecules in live or fixed organisms to understand cellular trafficking and localization, but the use of fluorescent microscopy with Bd has not yet been demonstrated. Two fluorescent stains were tested for their use in live-cell imaging of Bd , i.e., the cell wall-specific fluorophore Solophenyl Flavine 7GFE and the DNA-specific fluorophore DRAQ5. These specific staining patterns were observed in live cultures of Bd when visualized with laser-scanning confocal microscopy.