title: Methods for imaging Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 nanofilaments.
abstract: Nanofilament production by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was evaluated as a function of lifestyle (planktonic vs. sessile) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions using different sample preparation techniques prior to imaging with scanning electron microscopy. Nanofilaments could be imaged on MR-1 cells grown in biofilms or planktonically under both aerobic and anaerobic batch culture conditions after fixation, critical point drying and coating with a conductive metal. Critical point drying was a requirement for imaging nanofilaments attached to planktonically grown MR-1 cells, but not for cells grown in a biofilm. Techniques described in this paper cannot be used to differentiate nanowires from pili or flagella.
authors.affiliation: US Naval Research Laboratory, John C. Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lizewski
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ringeisen
mesh_terms: D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053770:Nanowires; D020592:Shewanella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*