ExPOSE : a comprehensive toolkit to perform expansion microscopy in plant protoplast systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Expansion microscopy (ExM) achieves nanoscale imaging by physical expansion of fixed biological tissues embedded in a swellable hydrogel, enhancing the resolution of any optical microscope several-fold. While ExM is commonly used in animal cells and tissues, there are few plant-specific protocols. Protoplasts are a widely used cell system across plant species, especially in studying biomolecule localization. Here, we present an approach to achieve robust expansion of plant protoplasts, termed Expansion microscopy in plant PrOtoplast SystEms (ExPOSE). We demonstrate that coupling ExPOSE with other imaging techniques, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization chain reaction to visualize proteins and mRNAs, respectively, greatly enhances the spatial resolution of endogenous biomolecules. Additionally, in this study, we tested the effectiveness and versatility of this technique to observe biomolecular condensates in Arabidopsis protoplasts and transcription factors in maize protoplasts at increased resolution. ExPOSE can be relatively inexpensive, fast, and simple to implement.
Source: The Plant Journal
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.70049
Authors: Kevin L. Cox, Sarah A. Pardi, Lily O’Connor, Anastasiya Klebanovych, David Huss, Dmitri A. Nusinow, Blake C. Meyers, Kirk J. Czymmek
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,450
Awards: EAGER: Single-cell, spatial transcriptomics of plant-fungal interactions using a maskless array technology, MRI: Acquisition of a Confocal Microscope, EAGER: Multiscale multiplex spatial-omics: Illuminating molecular pathways and architecture in plant cells and tissues, MRI: Acquisition of Flexible High-speed Super-Resolution System for Plant Research
OpenAlex ID: W4408246157