Facile method to stain the bacterial cell surface for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

Analyst. 2014 Jun 21;139(12):3174-8. doi: 10.1039/c4an00574k. Epub 2014 May 9.

Abstract

A method to fluorescently stain the surfaces of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial cells compatible with super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is presented. This method utilizes a commercially-available fluorescent probe to label primary amines at the surface of the cell. We demonstrate efficient staining of two bacterial strains, the Gram-negative Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis 168. Using structured illumination microscopy and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, which require high quantum yield or specialized dyes, we show that this staining method may be used to resolve the bacterial cell surface with sub-diffraction-limited resolution. We further use this method to identify localization patterns of nanomaterials, specifically cadmium selenide quantum dots, following interaction with bacterial cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / chemistry*
  • Cell Wall / chemistry*
  • Coloring Agents
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Shewanella / chemistry*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents