Abstract

In this study, sexual structures (asci) of the yeast Nadsonia fulvescens containing mature and fluconazole-treated malformed ascospores were studied using NanoSAM in combination with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This is the first application of NanoSAM to biological material. TEM exposed a variety of malformed ascospores in asci treated with fluconazole. Here some ascospores produced degenerated spiky protuberances with relatively large inclusions carried inside wrinkled asci. Other ascospores contained no walls or protuberances and were enclosed within smooth spherical shaped asci. The majority of ascospores contained less dense hollow areas surrounded by cytoplasmic material. NanoSAM studies on these asci corroborate the TEM results although less structural detail was obtained. NanoSAM showed a decrease in element intensities during etching which assisted structural analysis of ascospore less dense hollow areas.

Key words: Nadsonia, asci, elemental composition, fluconazole, nanosam, transmission electron microscopy, 3-D architecture.