6533b857fe1ef96bd12b470f
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Ethidium bromide: a fast fluorescent staining procedure for the detection of symbiotic partnership of flagellates and prokaryotes
Helmut Ko¨nigJu¨rgen Fro¨hlichsubject
Microbiology (medical)MicroorganismPopulationIsopteraMicrobiologyFluorescenceMicrobiologychemistry.chemical_compoundMastotermes darwiniensisEthidiumAnimalsSymbiosiseducationMolecular Biologyeducation.field_of_studyBacteriaStaining and Labelingbiologybiology.organism_classificationStainingTrichomonadidaAutofluorescencechemistryBiochemistryEthidium bromideDigestive SystemBacteriaSymbiotic bacteriadescription
The hindgut of 'lower' termites harbors a dense population of flagellates and bacteria. The flagellates possess ecto- and endosymbiotic prokaryotes. Most of them are hardly visible in the phase contrast microscope. Staining with the DNA-intercalating agent ethidium bromide visualizes the nuclei of the flagellates as well as the ecto- and endosymbiotic bacteria as red objects. Furthermore, it is possible to distinguish between endosymbiotic methanogens and other bacteria. Following UV excitation, the blue-green autofluorescence of the methanogenic bacteria eclipses the red fluorescence light of the intercalated ethidium bromide. The dye facilitates the observation of symbiotic bacteria and helps identify the number, shape, localization, and dividing status of the nuclei. Thus, it is a powerful tool for the examination of microorganisms in complex habitats, which are rich in strongly autofluorescent material, like wood.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-03-01 | Journal of Microbiological Methods |