Skip to main content

Basic Phage Electron Microscopy

  • Protocol
Bacteriophages

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 501))

Abstract

Negative staining of purified viruses is the most important electron microscopical technique in virology. The principal stains are phosphotungstate and uranyl acetate, both of which have problems and advantages. Particular problems are encountered in photography, calibration of magnification, measurements, and interpretation of artifacts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 239.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Pfankuch, E. and Kausche, G.A. 1940. Isolierung und Ăśbermikroskopische Abbildung eines Bakteriophagen. Naturwissenschaften 28,46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ruska H. 1940. Über die Sichtbarmachung der bakteriophagen Lyse im Übermikroskop. Naturwissenschaften 28, 45–46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Brenner, S. and Horne, R.W. (1959) A negative staining method for high resolution electron microscopy of viruses. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 34, 103–110.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kleinschmidt, A.K. (1968) Molecular weight and conformation of DNA, in Nucleic Acids, Meth. Enzymol. 12B, (Grossman L, Moldave, K, eds.), Academic Press, New York, NY, pp. 361–372.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ackermann, H.-W. and DuBow, M.S. (1987) Viruses of Prokaryotes,Vol. 1. General Properties of Bacteriophages, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 103–130.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ackermann, H.-W. (2004) Declining electron microscopy. Lab. News2004 (12), 25. See also: BEG News 21, 2–3, http://www. phage.org/

  7. Hayat, M.A. and Miller, S.E. (1990) Negative Staining,McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, pp. 1–50.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dykstra, M.J. (1992) Biological Electron Microscopy. Theory, Techniques, and Troubleshooting.Plenum Press, New York, NY, pp. 103–105, 183–208, 218–221.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Horne, RW. (1965) Negative staining methods, in Techniques for Electron Microscopy, 2nd ed. (Kay, D.H., ed.), Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, UK, pp. 328–355.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Nermut, M.V. (1973) Methods of negative staining, in Methodensammlung der Elektronenmikroskopie (Schimmel, G. and Vogell, W, eds.), Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, Germany, Section 3.1.2.3.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tikhonenko, A.S. (1970). Infrastructure of Bacterial Viruses, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ackermann, H.-W. (2007) 5500 Phages examined in the eletron microscope. Arch. Virol. 152, 277–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Bradley, D.E. (1967) Ultrastructure of bacteriophages and bacteriocins. J. Bacteriol. 31, 230–314.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bradley, D.E. (1965) The preparation of specimen support films, in Techniques for Electron Microscopy, 2nd ed. (Kay, D.H., ed.), Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, UK, pp. 58–74.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cochlan, W.P., Wikner, J., Steward, G.F., Smith, D.C., and Azam, F. 1993. Spatial distribution of viruses, bacteria and chlorophyll ain neritic, oceanic and estuarine environments. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 92, 77–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gentile, M. and Gelderblom, H.R. (2005) Rapid viral diagnosis: role of electron microscopy. New Microbiol. 28, 1–12.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gregory, D.W. and Pirie, B.J.S. (1973) Wetting agents for biological electron microscopy. I. General considerations and negative staining. J. Microsc. 99, 251–205.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Luftig, R.B. (1967) An accurate measurement of the catalase crystal period and its use as an internal marker for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 20, 91–102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Ackermann, H.-W., Jolicoeur, P., and Berthiaume, L. 1974. Avantages et inconvénients de l’acétate d’uranyle en virologie comparée: étude de quatre bacteriophages caudés. Can. J. Microbiol. 20, 1093–1099.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Huxley, H.E. and Zubay, G. (1961) Preferential staining of nucleic acid-containing structures for electron microscopy. J. Biophys. Biochem. Cytol. 11, 273–296.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Børsheim, K.Y., Bratbak, G., and Heldal, M. (1990) Enumeration and biomass estimation of planktonic bacteria and viruses by transmission electron microscopy. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56, 352–356.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Ackermann, HW. (2009). Basic Phage Electron Microscopy. In: Clokie, M.R., Kropinski, A.M. (eds) Bacteriophages. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 501. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-164-6_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-164-6_12

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-682-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60327-164-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics