The fundamental importance of microorganisms to many biosystems and environments has only recently begun to be recognised. These microorganisms extend across terrestrial and aquatic environments, and to all biological organisms, with interactions occurring through symbiotic relationships that may be mutualistic or parasitic. Despite their importance, we know very little about what microorganisms are present, and even less about what each one does and how they interact, especially at the cellular level.
Recent advances in imaging and characterisation methodology, especially in automation, achievable resolution, data processing and handling, and multi-dimensional capabilities now offer exciting opportunities to begin to better understand both the structure and function of microorganisms at the single cell level. When coupled with advanced ‘-omic’ techniques, we can begin to unravel the complex world of microorganisms in both simple and more complex environments.
In this talk, I will highlight and detail some examples of recent developments and opportunities in imaging and analytical capabilities, with particular focus toward understanding cellular structure, function, and interactions at a new level. This will extend from live cell imaging (e.g. super resolution microscopy), to 3-dimensional structural imaging at nanoscale resolution in both scanning and transmission electron microscopes (e.g. Dualbeam Auto Slice and ViewTM, 3-ViewTM, and tomography systems), to beginning to understand functional activity through isotopic labelling and transfer dynamics (e.g. NanoSIMS). Examples will extend from single cells to complex holobionts.