Fig. 5

Mitosomes associate with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) throughout the life cycle. a G. intestinalis trophozoites were fixed and immunolabeled using anti-GL50803_9296 (red) and anti-PDI2 antibodies (green) and observed using structured illumination microscopy (SIM). The maximal projection of the Z-stack of SIM images and selected Z-layers are shown. b G. intestinalis trophozoites enriched for mitotic cells by albendazole treatment were fixed and immunolabeled using anti-GL50803_9296 (red) and anti-PDI2 antibodies (green). The nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). The images represent deconvolved maximal projections of the Z-stacks. Corresponding differential interference contrast (DIC) images are shown. Scale bars, 2 μm and 0.5 μm. c Ring-like mitosomal structures around the ER tubules. d Schematic representation of the ER–mitosome association and the mitosomal division synchronized with mitosis in G. intestinalis: top, the interphase cell with no observable mitosomal dynamics; middle, upon entry into mitosis, central and peripheral mitosomes start to divide; bottom, division of the central mitosomes completes during prophase as the divided organelles segregate along with the divided basal bodies to the opposite spindle poles. The peripheral organelles continue to divide throughout all mitotic stages