High pressure freezing/freeze substitution fixation improves the ultrastructural assessment of Wolbachia endosymbiont-filarial nematode host interaction.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Wolbachia α-proteobacteria are essential for growth, reproduction and survival for many filarial nematode parasites of medical and veterinary importance. Endobacteria were discovered in filarial parasites by transmission electron microscopy in the 1970's using chemically fixed specimens. Despite improvements of fixation and electron microscopy techniques during the last decades, methods to study the Wolbachia/filaria interaction on the ultrastructural level remained unchanged and the mechanisms for exchange of materials and for motility of endobacteria are not known.

Methodology/principal finding

We used high pressure freezing/freeze substitution to improve fixation of Brugia malayi and its endosymbiont, and this led to improved visualization of different morpholo

SUBMITTER: Fischer K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3895037 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature