Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Polysome Purification from Soybean Symbiotic Nodules
07:02

Polysome Purification from Soybean Symbiotic Nodules

Published on: July 1, 2022

1.9K

Backscattered electron imaging of high pressure frozen soybean root nodules visualizes formation of symbiosome

Yasuko Kaneko1,2, Farhana Sharmin2, Nayeema Bulbul3

  • 1Biology Section in the Faculty of Education, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan.

Microscopy (Oxford, England)
|December 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This study visualizes soybean root nodule structures using cryo-scanning electron microscopy. The technique preserves cellular details, revealing symbiosomes and potential membrane formation processes.

Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Microscopy Techniques
  • Cellular Ultrastructure

Background:

  • Soybean root nodules are crucial for nitrogen fixation.
  • Understanding the cellular mechanisms within nodules requires advanced imaging.
  • Previous methods often struggle with preserving delicate cellular structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and apply a novel cryo-scanning electron microscopy method.
  • To visualize the ultrastructure of soybean root nodule cells, particularly infected cells.
  • To observe symbiosomes and associated membrane structures in a near-native state.

Main Methods:

  • High-pressure freezing of soybean root nodules.
  • Cryo-fracturing and imaging using a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope with cryo-transfer.
  • Controlled sublimation of water to visualize internal structures.
  • Backscattered electron imaging of uncoated samples.

Main Results:

  • Excellent preservation of infected cell structures, including symbiosomes, nuclei, plastids, and mitochondria.
  • Visualization of bacteria within symbiosomes after water sublimation.
  • Observation of membrane accumulations and tubular membranes potentially involved in symbiosome formation.
  • Demonstration of a near-native state of cellular components.

Conclusions:

  • The developed cryo-scanning electron microscopy method effectively preserves cellular ultrastructure in soybean root nodules.
  • This technique allows for detailed visualization of symbiosome-bacteria interactions and membrane dynamics.
  • The method holds broad applicability for studying membrane interactions in diverse biological systems.
Keywords:
BSEcryo-SEMhigh-pressure freezinglow vacuum SEMsoybean root nodulessymbiosome membranes

More Related Videos

Visualizing Membrane Ruffle Formation using Scanning Electron Microscopy08:05

Visualizing Membrane Ruffle Formation using Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published on: May 27, 2021

3.2K
MALDI-Mass Spectrometric Imaging for the Investigation of Metabolites in Medicago truncatula Root Nodules09:59

MALDI-Mass Spectrometric Imaging for the Investigation of Metabolites in Medicago truncatula Root Nodules

Published on: March 5, 2014

19.5K

Related Concept Videos

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
3.9K
Electron Carriers01:24

Electron Carriers

Electron carriers can be thought of as electron shuttles. These compounds can easily accept electrons (i.e., be reduced) or lose them (i.e., be oxidized). They play an essential role in energy production because cellular respiration is contingent on the flow of electrons.
Over the many stages of cellular respiration, glucose breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. Electron carriers pick up electrons lost by glucose in these reactions, temporarily storing and releasing them into the electron...
91.8K
Electron Affinity03:07

Electron Affinity

The electron affinity (EA) is the energy change for adding an electron to a gaseous atom to form an anion (negative ion).
43.3K
Electron Transport Chains01:28

Electron Transport Chains

The final stage of cellular respiration is oxidative phosphorylation that consists of two steps: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. The electron transport chain is a set of proteins found in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to establish a proton gradient that can be used during chemiosmosis to produce ATP and generate electron carriers, such as NAD+ and FAD, that are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
The ETC is comprised of...
112.2K
Formation of Complex Ions03:45

Formation of Complex Ions

A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...
26.1K
Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots03:02

Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots

Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
60.5K