A Reassessment of Polyphosphate Granule Composition in the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus Pisolithus tinctorius

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 107 ◽  
Author(s):  
DA Orlovich ◽  
AE Ashford ◽  
GC Cox
Keyword(s):  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungus ◽  
Pisolithus Tinctorius ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Chemical Fixation ◽  
Cation Composition ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Major Cation ◽  
Phosphorus Containing

Comparison of the elemental composition of freeze-substituted and conventionally fixed phosphorus-containing granules of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch, using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, shows that the cation composition is altered appreciably by the method of specimen preparation. Following conventional chemical fixation, the major cation detected in the granules together with phosphorus was calcium, while freeze-substituted granules most frequently contained phosphorus, potassium and sodium. We conclude that chemical fixation causes serious loss or redistribution of ions. The occurrence of monovalent cations in polyphosphate granules has not previously been demonstrated for mycorrhizal fungi and their presence should be considered in determining the role of the granules in mycorrhizas.

scholarly journals Survival and growth of nursery inoculated Fraxinus uhdei in acrisol gullies

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Laura Báez-Pérez ◽  
Roberto Lindig-Cisneros ◽  
Javier Villegas
Keyword(s):  
Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungus ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Adverse Conditions ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Survival And Growth

 Presence of degraded soils is increasing worldwide, but in many scenarios the knowledge to undertake restoration has not been acquired in an efficient, economical and socially acceptable manner. There are estimates placing moderate to severe degradation of agricultural land worldwide at 80%. Severely degraded substrates, such as gullies, sometimes lack the necessary microbiota for appropriate plant growth, under these conditions nursery inoculation can improve plant performance in the field. In order to explore the role of dual mycorrhization in Fraxinus growing in poor substrates, and also to contribute information on their usefulness in gully restoration, an experiment was conducted in which individuals of this species were inoculated with an endomycorrhyzal fungus, and ectomycorrhizal fungus and with both types of mycorrhizal fungi simultaneously, as well as urea fertilization. The results of this experiment show that establishment of Fraxinus uhdei is possible in severely degraded sites, it also provides information on the effects on the plant of multiple inoculation that cause some performance variables to improve as a result of the interaction, as was the case for the improved survival with the P. tinctorius, G. intraradices dual inoculation; whereas growth variables showed improved response to inoculation with only one of the fungi, height to inoculation with G. intraradices, and cover, number of leaves and diameter at base to inoculation with P. tinctorius. Given the improvements in growth and survival, our results suggest that in severely degraded soils, nursery inoculation of plants adapted to adverse conditions with mycorrhyzal fungi should be implemented.

Ectomycorrhizal specificity in the genus Alnus

1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Molina
Keyword(s):  
Pure Culture ◽  
Alnus Glutinosa ◽  
Ectomycorrhizal Fungus ◽  
Pisolithus Tinctorius ◽  
Paxillus Involutus ◽  
Limited Extent ◽  
Host Fungus

Only three of nine test fungi formed ectomycorrhizae on Alnus glutinosa, A. incana, A. rhombifolia, and A. sinuata in pure culture syntheses: Alpova diplophloeus, Astraeus pteridis, and Paxillus involutus. Pisolithus tinctorius formed ectomycorrhizae to a very limited extent on Alnus glutinosa. It is suggested that the entire genus Alnus may be very specialized regarding its ectomycorrhizal fungus associates, yet, display little infrageneric mycorrhizal specificity.The role of phenolics and possible mechanisms determining ectomycorrhizal specificity are discussed, and the need for research on host–fungus recognition factors is emphasized.

Digital x-ray mapping of nanometer-size supported bimetallic catalysts

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 530-531
Author(s):  
L. T. Germinario
Keyword(s):  
Background Radiation ◽  
Metal Cluster ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Beam Diameter ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Major Interest ◽  
Induced Changes

Understanding the role of metal cluster composition in determining catalytic selectivity and activity is of major interest in heterogeneous catalysis. The electron microscope is well established as a powerful tool for ultrastructural and compositional characterization of support and catalyst. Because the spatial resolution of x-ray microanalysis is defined by the smallest beam diameter into which the required number of electrons can be focused, the dedicated STEM with FEG is the instrument of choice. The main sources of errors in energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS) are: (1) beam-induced changes in specimen composition, (2) specimen drift, (3) instrumental factors which produce background radiation, and (4) basic statistical limitations which result in the detection of a finite number of x-ray photons. Digital beam techniques have been described for supported single-element metal clusters with spatial resolutions of about 10 nm. However, the detection of spurious characteristic x-rays away from catalyst particles produced images requiring several image processing steps.

Studies of metaphase chromosomes in the scanning transmission x-ray microscope: Image fidelity, radiation damage and specimen preparation

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1038-1039
Author(s):  
Shawn Williams ◽  
Xiaodong Zhang ◽  
Susan Lamm ◽  
Jack Van’t Hof
Keyword(s):  
Visible Light ◽  
Radiation Damage ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Dose Range ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Scanning Transmission

The Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope (STXM) is well suited for investigating metaphase chromosome structure. The absorption cross-section of soft x-rays having energies between the carbon and oxygen K edges (284 - 531 eV) is 6 - 9.5 times greater for organic specimens than for water, which permits one to examine unstained, wet biological specimens with resolution superior to that attainable using visible light. The attenuation length of the x-rays is suitable for imaging micron thick specimens without sectioning. This large difference in cross-section yields good specimen contrast, so that fewer soft x-rays than electrons are required to image wet biological specimens at a given resolution. But most imaging techniques delivering better resolution than visible light produce radiation damage. Soft x-rays are known to be very effective in damaging biological specimens. The STXM is constructed to minimize specimen dose, but it is important to measure the actual damage induced as a function of dose in order to determine the dose range within which radiation damage does not compromise image quality.

An x-ray microprobe based upon a close-coupled focal-spot / glass capillary arrangement

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1758-1759
Author(s):  
D. A. Carpenter ◽  
M. A. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Fluorescence Analysis ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Glass Capillary ◽  
Close Coupling ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Point To Point ◽  
Beam Damage

The development of intense sources of x rays has led to renewed interest in the use of microbeams of x rays in x-ray fluorescence analysis. Sparks pointed out that the use of x rays as a probe offered the advantages of high sensitivity, low detection limits, low beam damage, and large penetration depths with minimal specimen preparation or perturbation. In addition, the option of air operation provided special advantages for examination of hydrated systems or for nondestructive microanalysis of large specimens.The disadvantages of synchrotron sources prompted the development of laboratory-based instrumentation with various schemes to maximize the beam flux while maintaining small point-to-point resolution. Nichols and Ryon developed a microprobe using a rotating anode source and a modified microdiffractometer. Cross and Wherry showed that by close-coupling the x-ray source, specimen, and detector, good intensities could be obtained for beam sizes between 30 and 100μm. More importantly, both groups combined specimen scanning with modern imaging techniques for rapid element mapping.

X-ray Gabor holography

1995 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 612-613
Author(s):  
Steve Lindaas ◽  
Chris Jacobsen ◽  
Alex Kalinovsky ◽  
Malcolm Howells
Keyword(s):  
Surface Relief ◽  
Biological Imaging ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Water Window ◽  
Biological Objects ◽  
Transmission Imaging ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Electron Microscopes

Soft x-ray microscopy offers an approach to transmission imaging of wet, micron-thick biological objects at a resolution superior to that of optical microscopes and with less specimen preparation/manipulation than electron microscopes. Gabor holography has unique characteristics which make it particularly well suited for certain investigations: it requires no prefocussing, it is compatible with flash x-ray sources, and it is able to use the whole footprint of multimode sources. Our method serves to refine this technique in anticipation of the development of suitable flash sources (such as x-ray lasers) and to develop cryo capabilities with which to reduce specimen damage. Our primary emphasis has been on biological imaging so we use x-rays in the water window (between the Oxygen-K and Carbon-K absorption edges) with which we record holograms in vacuum or in air.The hologram is recorded on a high resolution recording medium; our work employs the photoresist poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA). Following resist “development” (solvent etching), a surface relief pattern is produced which an atomic force microscope is aptly suited to image.

The role of silicon in forages: A quantitative X-Ray study

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 416-417
Author(s):  
Janet H. Woodward ◽  
D. E. Akin
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Acetate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Acetate Buffer ◽  
Plant Tissues ◽  
Sodium Acetate Buffer ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Percent Composition

Silicon (Si) is distributed throughout plant tissues, but its role in forages has not been clarified. Although Si has been suggested as an antiquality factor which limits the digestibility of structural carbohydrates, other research indicates that its presence in plants does not affect digestibility. We employed x-ray microanalysis to evaluate Si as an antiquality factor at specific sites of two cultivars of bermuda grass (Cynodon dactvlon (L.) Pers.). “Coastal” and “Tifton-78” were chosen for this study because previous work in our lab has shown that, although these two grasses are similar ultrastructurally, they differ in in vitro dry matter digestibility and in percent composition of Si.Two millimeter leaf sections of Tifton-7 8 (Tift-7 8) and Coastal (CBG) were incubated for 72 hr in 2.5% (w/v) cellulase in 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 5.0. For controls, sections were incubated in the sodium acetate buffer or were not treated.

Specimen Preparation for Clinical Applications of X-Ray Microanalysis

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-329
Author(s):  
J.D. Shelburne ◽  
G.M. Roomans
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Coating ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Sweat Test ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Tissue Preparation ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Gallbladder Stones ◽  
Clinical Problems

Proper preparative procedures are a prerequisite for the validity of the results of x-ray microanalysis of biological tissue. Clinical applications of x-ray microanalysis are often concerned with diagnostic problems and the results may have profound practical significance for the patient. From this point of view it is especially important that specimen preparation for clinical applications is carried out correctly.Some clinical problems require very little tissue preparation. Hair, nails, and kidney and gallbladder stones may be examined and analyzed after carbon coating. High levels of zinc or copper in hair may be indicative of dermatological or systemic diseases. Nail clippings may be analyzed (as an alternative to the more conventional sweat test) to confirm a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. X-ray microanalysis in combination with scanning electron microscopy has been shown to be the most reliable method for the identification of the components of kidney or gallbladder stones.A quantitatively very important clinical application of x-ray microanalysis is the identification and quantification of asbestos and other exogenous particles in lung.

Pathophysiological function of the mitochondria as a calcium reservoir: Quantitative x-ray microanalysis

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-165
Author(s):  
K. Teraoka ◽  
N. Kaneko ◽  
Y. Horikawa ◽  
T. Uchida ◽  
R. Matsuda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bolus Injection ◽  
Contact Method ◽  
X Ray

The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of the mitochondria as a store of calcium(Ca) under the condition of pathophysiological Ca overload induced by a rise in extracellular Ca concentration and the administration of isoproterenol.Eight rats were employed, and hearts were perfused as in the Langendorff method with Krebs-Henseleit solution gassed with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Tow specimens were perfused with 2mM Ca for 30 min, and 2 were perfused with 5.5 mM Ca for 20 min. 4 specimens were perfused with 2 mM Ca for 5 min, and of these 4, 2 were infused with 10-7 mM/kg/min. isoproterenol for 5 min, and 2 were given a bolus injection of 3 x 10-7 mM isoproterenol. After rapid-cryofixation by the metal-mirror contact method with a Reichert-Jung KF80/MM80, and cryosectioning at -160 to -180° C with a Reichert-Jung Ultracut Fc-4E, ultrathin specimens (100nm) were free-ze-dreid for several hours at 10-5 Torr in the JEOL FD 7000, and mitochondrial Ca was determined by quantitative x-ray micranalysis (JEOL 1200EX, LINK AN 10000S).

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