Organization of interphase microtubules in fission yeast analyzed by electron tomography.
Polarized cells, such as neuronal, epithelial, and fungal cells, all display a specialized organization of their microtubules (MTs). The interphase MT cytoskeleton of the rod-shaped fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, has been extensively described by fluorescence microscopy. Here, we describe a large-scale, electron tomography investigation of S. pombe, including a 3D reconstruction of a complete eukaryotic cell volume at sufficient resolution to show both how many MTs there are in a bundle and their detailed architecture. Most cytoplasmic MTs are open at one end and capped at the other, providing evidence about their polarity. Electron-dense bridges between the MTs themselves and between MTs and the nuclear envelope were frequently observed. Finally, we have investigated structure/function relationships between MTs and both mitochondria and vesicles. Our analysis shows that electron tomography of well-preserved cells is ideally suited for describing fine ultrastructural details that were not visible with previous techniques.
Höög
Johanna L
JL
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cell Biology and Biophysics Program, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
Schwartz
Cindi
C
Noon
Angela T
AT
O'Toole
Eileen T
ET
Mastronarde
David N
DN
McIntosh
J Richard
JR
Antony
Claude
C
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007399:Interphase / Q000502:physiology; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
D011108:Polymers; D014404:Tubulin