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Viability of endolithic micro‐organisms in rocks from the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica established by confocal and fluorescence microscopy
Author(s) -
WIERZCHOS J.,
DE LOS RÍOS A.,
SANCHO L. G.,
ASCASO C.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.0022-2720.2004.01386.x
Subject(s) - cyanobacteria , propidium iodide , confocal microscopy , dapi , fluorescence microscope , biology , microorganism , fluorescence , fluorescent staining , bacteria , botany , staining , paleontology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , apoptosis , programmed cell death , genetics , physics , quantum mechanics
Summary The rocks of the McMurdo Dry Valleys desert in Antarctica harbour endolithic communities of micro‐organisms such as lichens, fungi, cyanobacteria and bacteria. Establishing the physiological status and viability of these microbial colonies in their natural microhabitat has far‐reaching implications for understanding the microbial ecology of the harsh environment of this polar desert. Here we describe the use of confocal microscopy and a specific fluorescent probe (FUN‐1) to evaluate the metabolic activity of fungal cells. Application of confocal microscopy also served to identify living and dead bacteria or cyanobacteria using the fluorescent assay reagents Live/Dead SYTO 9 and propidium iodide or SYTOX Green, respectively. In addition, through the use of epifluorescence microscopy, live/dead bacteria and cyanobacteria could be detected by estimating fluorescence from their cell components provoked by simultaneously staining with nucleic acids stains such as DAPI and SYTOX Green.

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