A Differential Centrifugation Procedure for Obtaining Unstretched Metaphase Chromosomes from Higher Plants for Transmission Electron Microscopy
Metaphase chromosomes prepared as whole mounts for transmission electron microscopy have been studied by many workers using a variety of methods(1,2,3, 4). While satisfactory for some purposes these methods usually result in distortions which complicate interpretation of chromosome fine structure. In addition, most procedures were adapted for animal chromosomes and were inappropriate for plants in which cell walls present a barrier to isolation. Recently, Wolfe and Martin(5) used a pressing procedure devised by McLeish(6) to obtain plant root tip chromosomes and used this in combination with the water spreading method of Gall(3). Their electron micrographs, though unique in showing plant chromosomes essentially for the first time, nevertheless showed chromosomal distortions typical of water spreading. Chromosomes in the nearly natural state can be obtained by modifying Wolfe and Martin's procedure to the extent of replacing surface spreading with differential centrifugation of the broken-cell suspension.