A protein stain for the electron microscopy of small isometric plant virus particles

Abstract

A staining procedure applied during fixation and dehydration of plant tissue for the visualization of small isometric plant virus particles is described. The procedure adds electron dense stain to the protein of a virus particle, and to a lesser degree, the nucleic acid. The cell organelles retain their integrity with this staining method, and their overall appearance, while similar, is different from that after conventional staining methods, owing to the difference in distribution of the stain. In comparison with small isometric virus particles, ribosomes are only lightly stained and confusion cannot arise between the appearance of these two.