VISUALIZATION OF THE MICROBODY DIVISION IN CYANIDIOSCHYZON MEROLAE WITH THE FLUOROCHROME BRILLIANT SULFOFLAVIN

A novel procedure is described for fluorescence staining of microbodie s, which can be applied quickly and easily. We developed this techniqu e of microbody staining with the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae. Cyanidioschyzon merolae only contains a single chloroplast, m itochondrion, and microbody per cell, and the mitotic cycle and the or ganelle division cycle are easily synchronized. Knowing that the conce ntration of H2O2 in the microbody is higher than it is in the cytosol and other cell components, we attempted to visualize the microbody by using fluorescence microscopy to detect H2O2. Brilliant sulfoflavin (B SF), used for detecting Fe2+ in analytical chemistry, fluoresces when it reacts with Fe2+ and H2O2. We were able to specifically stain micro bodies with BSF, under acidic conditions (pH 3.0 or pH 2.5) with blue- light excitation. Using this procedure, we observed division of the mi crobody and the effect of aphidicolin on the microbody. We also discov ered that microbody division is regulated by the cell nucleus and foll ows division of the cell nucleus.