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Ultrastructure of Diplodia maydis grown on selected synthetic media

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Of all the fixatives studied, glutaraldehyde followed by osmium was considered best. Fixation temperatures did not result in ultrastructural differences. Holdover for short periods (up to 7 days) in 70% alcohol and long periods (3 months) in glutaraldehyde did not result in ultrastructural differences from those processed without a hold-over period. Uranyl acetate increased contrast, as expected. Epon was selected over Epon-Araldite (more viscous) and Spurr's resin (less contrast). Generally, growth conditions did not alter gross hyphal morphology, although cytological changes were noted.

Diplodia maydis is morphologically similar to ascomycetous fungi. It contained typical organelles as found in other fungi, e.g. cell wall, septa, Woronin bodies, nuclei, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lomasomes, plasma membranes, cytosomes, vacuoles, storage materials (lipids, carbohydrates and intracellular and extracellular electrondense substances), thickened mycelial strands, and intrahyphal hyphae. Bead-like structures and thickened nodes as observed by SEM were accounted for by structures observed by TEM. Mitochondria were dramatically elongated, and in one case, branched. Hyphae were organized in three zones: apical, subapical, and vacuolated. Apical vesicles were thought to account for cell extension. Evidence was presented that Woronin bodies originated from microbodies. It was suggested that the Golgi apparatus consists of isolated single cisternae. Free ribo- or polysomes (without ER) were suggested as the site of the majority of protein synthesis. Continuities and configurations of plasma and outer nuclear and mitochondrial membranes, ER, cytosomes, vacuoles and storage materials suggested that a system similar to Morre et al's endomembrane system is in operation in D. maydis to account for component flow and differentiation.

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  1. Center for Electron Microscopy, Southern Illinois University, 62901, Carbondale, Illinois, USA

    Judith A. Murphy & Mary Thompson

  2. Department of Botany, Southern Illinois University, 62901, Carbondale, Illinois, USA

    Judith A. Murphy & A. J. Pappelis

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Murphy, J.A., Thompson, M. & Pappelis, A.J. Ultrastructure of Diplodia maydis grown on selected synthetic media. Mycopathologia 71, 171–191 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00473066

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