Protocol for Extraction and Electron Microscopy Visualization of Lipids in Viburnum tinus Fruit Using Cryo-Ultramicrotomy

STAR Protoc. 2020 Dec 9;1(3):100201. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2020.100201. eCollection 2020 Dec 18.

Abstract

We recently reported that Viburnum tinus fruit generates its metallic blue color using globular lipid inclusions embedded in its epicarpal cell walls. This protocol describes steps to visualize the lipidic nature of the nanostructure using cryo-ultramicrotomy, chloroform extraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. This method is useful to localize and characterize novel lipidic nanostructures embedded in both plant and animal tissues at the TEM resolution. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Middleton et al. (2020).

Keywords: Biophysics; Microscopy; Structural Biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Wall / chemistry
  • Cell Wall / ultrastructure
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy / methods
  • Cryoultramicrotomy / methods*
  • Fruit / metabolism
  • Lipids / analysis
  • Lipids / chemistry
  • Lipids / isolation & purification*
  • Microscopy, Electron / methods
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / methods
  • Nanostructures / analysis
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Viburnum / metabolism*

Substances

  • Lipids