A protocol for ultrastructural study of Candida albicans biofilm using transmission electron microscopy

Thierry Mourer (1) , Martin Sachse (2) , Anastasia Gazi (2) , Christophe D'Enfert (1) , Sophie Bachellier-Bassi (1)

1 BPF - Biologie et Pathogénicité fongiques - Fungal Biology and Pathogenicity
2 UTechS UBI - Plateforme BioImagerie Ultrastructurale – Ultrastructural BioImaging Platform

This protocol describes how to analyze C. albicans biofilm using transmission electron microscopy. We present two approaches to observe the ultrastructure of fungal cells within unperturbed biofilms, as well as an immunogold labeling procedure. This approach maintains the architecture of the fungal biofilm close to its native state by growing C. albicans biofilm on a plastic surface. After the freeze substitution procedure, classical transmission electron microscopy or electron tomography will allow the ultrastructural analysis of the microbial community.

Keywords: Cell Biology; Microbiology; Microscopy

Domains: Molecular biology; Biophysics; Structural Biology [q-bio.BM]; Bacteriology; Virology

Thierry Mourer, Martin Sachse, Anastasia Gazi, Christophe D'Enfert, Sophie Bachellier-Bassi. A protocol for ultrastructural study of Candida albicans biofilm using transmission electron microscopy. STAR Protocols, 2022, 3 (3), pp.101514. ⟨10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101514⟩. ⟨pasteur-03913632⟩