@article{BritzMarkertWitvlietetal.2021,
  author    = {Britz, Sebastian and Markert, Sebastian Matthias and Witvliet, Daniel and Steyer, Anna Maria and Tr{\"o}ger, Sarah and Mulcahy, Ben and Kollmannsberger, Philip and Schwab, Yannick and Zhen, Mei and Stigloher, Christian},
  title     = {Structural Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer Larval Anterior Sensilla by Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy},
  series = {Frontiers in Neuroanatomy},
  volume    = {15},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Neuroanatomy},
  issn      = {1662-5129},
  doi       = {10.3389/fnana.2021.732520},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-249622},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {At the end of the first larval stage, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans developing in harsh environmental conditions is able to choose an alternative developmental path called the dauer diapause. Dauer larvae exhibit different physiology and behaviors from non-dauer larvae. Using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), we volumetrically reconstructed the anterior sensory apparatus of C. elegans dauer larvae with unprecedented precision. We provide a detailed description of some neurons, focusing on structural details that were unknown or unresolved by previously published studies. They include the following: (1) dauer-specific branches of the IL2 sensory neurons project into the periphery of anterior sensilla and motor or putative sensory neurons at the sub-lateral cords; (2) ciliated endings of URX sensory neurons are supported by both ILso and AMso socket cells near the amphid openings; (3) variability in amphid sensory dendrites among dauers; and (4) somatic RIP interneurons maintain their projection into the pharyngeal nervous system. Our results support the notion that dauer larvae structurally expand their sensory system to facilitate searching for more favorable environments.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MarkertSkoruppaYuetal.2020,
  author    = {Markert, Sebastian M. and Skoruppa, Michael and Yu, Bin and Mulcahy, Ben and Zhen, Mai and Gao, Shangbang and Sendtner, Michael and Stigloher, Christian},
  title     = {Overexpression of an ALS-associated FUS mutation in C. elegans disrupts NMJ morphology and leads to defective neuromuscular transmission},
  series = {Biology Open},
  volume    = {9},
  journal   = {Biology Open},
  doi       = {10.1242/bio.055129},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-230662},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) neurodegenerative disorder has been associated with multiple genetic lesions, including mutations in the gene for fused in sarcoma (FUS), a nuclear-localized RNA/DNA-binding protein. Neuronal expression of the pathological form of FUS proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans results in mislocalization and aggregation of FUS in the cytoplasm, and leads to impairment of motility. However, the mechanisms by which the mutant FUS disrupts neuronal health and function remain unclear. Here we investigated the impact of ALS-associated FUS on motor neuron health using correlative light and electron microscopy, electron tomography, and electrophysiology. We show that ectopic expression of wild-type or ALS-associated human FUS impairs synaptic vesicle docking at neuromuscular junctions. ALS-associated FUS led to the emergence of a population of large, electron-dense, and filament-filled endosomes. Electrophysiological recording revealed reduced transmission from motor neurons to muscles. Together, these results suggest a pathological effect of ALS-causing FUS at synaptic structure and function organization.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MarkertBritzProppertetal.2016,
  author    = {Markert, Sebastian Matthias and Britz, Sebastian and Proppert, Sven and Lang, Marietta and Witvliet, Daniel and Mulcahy, Ben and Sauer, Markus and Zhen, Mei and Bessereau, Jean-Louis and Stigloher, Christian},
  title     = {Filling the gap: adding super-resolution to array tomography for correlated ultrastructural and molecular identification of electrical synapses at the C. elegans connectome},
  series = {Neurophotonics},
  volume    = {3},
  journal   = {Neurophotonics},
  number    = {4},
  doi       = {10.1117/1.NPh.3.4.041802},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-187292},
  pages     = {041802},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Correlating molecular labeling at the ultrastructural level with high confidence remains challenging. Array tomography (AT) allows for a combination of fluorescence and electron microscopy (EM) to visualize subcellular protein localization on serial EM sections. Here, we describe an application for AT that combines near-native tissue preservation via high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution with super-resolution light microscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis on the same section. We established protocols that combine SEM with structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM). We devised a method for easy, precise, and unbiased correlation of EM images and super-resolution imaging data using endogenous cellular landmarks and freely available image processing software. We demonstrate that these methods allow us to identify and label gap junctions in Caenorhabditis elegans with precision and confidence, and imaging of even smaller structures is feasible. With the emergence of connectomics, these methods will allow us to fill in the gap-acquiring the correlated ultrastructural and molecular identity of electrical synapses.},
  language  = {en}
}