Algal Secrets: How Tescan’s Cryo Workflow Enabled Insight into Green Algae Response to ZnO Nanoparticles

At Tescan, we’re proud to contribute to groundbreaking algal research through our advanced cryo-electron microscopy solutions. A recent collaboration with Martina Kolackova, Ph.D., from Mendel University in Brno and researchers from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMG) showcased the full potential of our integrated cryo workflow. 

Collaboration with Mendel University and IMG

The partnership began with Mendel University’s installation of a Tescan cryo SEM system. Following advanced application training, our Life Science team remained in close contact, exploring SEM and FIB-SEM applications. In one of our conversations with the Mendel University team, we shared details about Tescan’s end-to-end cryo-TEM lamella preparation workflow, a solution we’ve refined in partnership with the Institute of Molecular Genetics (IMG), where our  Tescan AMBER cryo FIB-SEM is integrated into a complete cryo research setup. 

Cryo-FIB on-grid lamella preparation:
(a) an SEM overview of the TEM grid mounted in a dedicated cryo-holder, (b) a FIB SE image of cells on the grid, and
(c) a FIB SE image of the final lamella.
All images were obtained using the chamber secondary electron detector. (Damyanov et al., 2023)

Investigating Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Response to ZnO Nanoparticles

That moment sparked a new research direction for Mendel University, focusing on the cellular response of the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. Together with the Mendel University research team, we plunge-froze cultured Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells to achieve vitrification, preserving their native ultrastructure. Our specialists guided the researchers through each stage of the cryo workflow. Using  Tescan AMBER cryo FIB-SEM, Tescan experts prepared cryo lamellae, which were subsequently analyzed via cryo-TEM in collaboration with Vlada Filimonenko, Ph.D., and Dominik Pinkas, Ph.D., at IMG. 

Key Findings Published in Algal Research

The results, published in Algal Research, revealed particle-specific adaptive mechanisms in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. “The findings show that ZnO nanoparticles and bulk ZnO differ in their intracellular distribution and stress responses, offering new insights into how algae adapt to different forms of metal oxide exposure,” says  Jana Havrankova, a senior application engineer at Tescan R&D.  

This study highlights the capabilities of Tescan’s cryo-FIB-SEM and cryo-TEM workflow in providing high-resolution biological insights.