Fig. 3

Scanning electron microscopy of V. vermiformis and R. solani after co-culture. Organisms were not separated by a nucleopore membrane; 24 h co-culture. a Micrographs show V. vermiformis trophozoites partially wrapped around R. solani hyphae. b A close-up image of a trophozoite and shriveled hypha. c A close-up micrograph of hyphae at varying intensities of shriveling. Organisms were separated by a nucleopore (1 µm) membrane and evaluated at 0 (d) and 24 h (e) after co-cultivation. The hyphae of R. solani develop a shriveled exterior even when separated from the amoeba after 24 h. f, g A perforation with smooth edges detected on the hyphae after co-culturing with amoebae in the same medium. Scale bars in a, b, d, e and g are 10 µm; scale bars in c, f and inset of g are 1 µm