Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LTSEM) Findings on the Ultrastructure of Trebouxia lynnae (Trebouxiophyceae, Lichenized Microalgae)

The lichenized green microalga Trebouxia lynnae Barreno has been recently described and is considered a model organism for studying lichen chlorobionts. Its cellular ultrastructure already studied in detail by light, electron, confocal microscopy, its nuclear, chloroplast mitochondrial genomes have sequenced annotated. Here, we investigated the of vitro grown cultures T. observed Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LTSEM) applying protocol with minimum intervention over biological samples. This methodology allowed discovery ultrastructural features previously unseen Trebouxiophyceae microalgae. In addition, original Transmission (TEM) images were reinterpreted based on new information provided LTSEM. nucleolar vacuole, dictyosomes, endoplasmic reticulum reported first time most likely other lineages.