Immunogold labelling of boric acid binding sites by immunoreaction to the FITC-moiety of FITC-boronic acid: first results

It has been shown by using boronic acid-coupled FITC (B-FITC) as a probe fo r boric acid or berate binding sites that boron-deprived tissue of Vicia fa ba L. var. minor roots is stained more intensively. This suggests that B-de prived tissue has a higher boron binding capacity. The preferential stainin g of the endodermis and the xylem vessels is remarkable. First results are presented on a novel technique to visualise the sub-cellular distribution o f boric-acid binding sites in roots of Vicia faba by immunogold-labelled an ti-FITC antibodies as a probe for FITC.