Localization of DMSO in Mentha x piperita shoot tips using CARS microscopy

Authors: KRECKEL, HEIDI - Colorado State University; Bonnart, Remi; Volk, Gayle; LEVINGER, NANCY - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Regional Meeting of American Chemical Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/24/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Preserving plant genetic diversity is crucial to the global food, agriculture and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, the development of diverse plant collections has become incredibly important as plant genetic diversity worldwide is decreasing at alarming rates due to global climate change, natural disasters and decreasing natural habitats. Cryopreservation, or the preservation of cells and tissues at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-196 °C), of plant shoot tips has emerged as a highly effective, cost-efficient solution to this problem. However, current techniques must be optimized for each plant species, requiring valuable time and resources that are often not available for endangered species. Understanding the underlying chemical processes within cells and tissues through the cryopreservation process is essential to the development of more universal methods. Coherent Raman microscopy is a powerful nonlinear optical tool that allows for highly sensitive, non-invasive imaging of biological samples. The use of a tunable pump beam allows for the imaging of a single chemical bond of interest. The use of deuterium as a vibrational tag allows for the detection of specific cryoprotectants, such as DMSO, in vibrationally quiet regions of plant shoot tips. This work explores the physical effects and the localization of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and deuterated DMSO (d6-DMSO) within Mentha × piperita shoot tips using both brightfield and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopies. This presentation will cover the latest findings from these experiments.