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STRUCTURE OF THE EUGLENOID STORAGE CARBOHYDRATE, PARAMYLON
Author(s) -
Kiss John Z.,
Vasconcelos Aurea C.,
Triemer Richard E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1987.tb08691.x
Subject(s) - granule (geology) , negative stain , transmission electron microscopy , electron microscope , biophysics , misorientation , scanning electron microscope , crystal violet , cellulose , biology , materials science , nanotechnology , optics , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , physics , composite material , microstructure , grain boundary
Paramylon, the euglenoid storage carbohydrate, was studied by transmission electron microscopy (thin sectioning, negative staining, and freeze‐etching) and scanning electron microscopy in order to develop a three‐dimensional model of paramylon structure. The paramylon granule is a membrane‐bound crystal composed of two types of segments, rectangular solids and wedges. The segments meet in the central region of the crystal. Both the segments and the granule as a whole are composed of several layers. Fibers traverse the paramylon granule in an overall concentric pattern. These fibers appear to be composed of bundles of microfibrils, which measure 4.0 nm in diameter and are similar to cellulose elementary microfibrils.