Effect of aldehyde fixatives on the adenosine phosphatases and ultrastructure of Vitreoscilla

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Abstract
A variety of aldehydes used in electron cytochemistry including glutaraldehyde, glycidaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and methanol-free formaldehyde were examined for their inhibitory effect on the adenosine phosphate hydrolases of Vitreoscilla species. Enzyme inhibition increased with increasing aldehyde concentration. Of the aldehydes tested glycidaldehyde and acetaldehyde were least inhibitory for both adenosine diphosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase activity. Significantly, a 1% concentration of glutaraldehyde inhibited over 80% of the activity of both enzymes. Inhibition by all fixatives was variably decreased by the addition of 8% sucrose. Electron-microscopic examination of Vitreoscilla species fixed with the various aldehydes revealed that both acetaldehyde and glycidaldehyde followed by osmium tetroxide postfixation gave results comparable with glutaraldehyde–osmium tetroxide fixed cells.

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