Correlative light electron microscopy of giant viruses with the SECOM system.

Abstract

Bright-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TEM-negative staining technique, resin-embedding and ultramicrotomy, scanning TEM, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and cryoelectron microscopy are imaging techniques used for describing giant viruses, their cycle and ultrastructure. Here we used the SECOM system, an integrated correlative light and electron microscopy using light and electronic imaging without sample transfer, to study cells infected with giant viruses, as shown by Tupanvirus, the ultrastructure of which was successfully observed. An improvement of the SECOM system with an eye to its use in fundamental and clinical research could be considered in the field of microbiology.