Three-dimensional distribution of VZV nucleocapsids in host cell nuclei with PML cages.

<p>Melanoma cells that express doxycycline-induced PML IV were infected with VZV for 48 h and processed for BSE-SEM imaging. (A) BSE-SEM images at different magnifications of a syncytium of VZV infected melanoma cells. Left panel: low magnification view of a syncytium; middle panel: one nucleus of the same syncytium with two PML cages; right panel: higher magnification view of a PML cage with sequestered VZV capsids. Black squares indicate areas that are shown at higher magnification in the panels to the right. Scale bars are 5 µm. (B) Five representative images (s1, s5, s9, s13, s17) from a series of 18 consecutive sections through the nucleus shown in A, middle panel. See also <a href="http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.ppat.1002740#ppat.1002740.s004" target="_blank">Video S4</a>. (C and D) 3D models based on tracing and segmentation in all 18 sections of electron dense heterochromatin (blue); nucleocapsids (yellow spheres) and PML cages (green, shown only in D). 1,732 and 1,324 capsids were identified in the upper and lower PML cage, respectively). Scale bars are 5 µm. See also <a href="http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.ppat.1002740#ppat.1002740.s005" target="_blank">Video S5</a>. (E and F) 3D models of the upper PML cage. Color code as above, but immature capsids (A and B-type capsids) are shown as yellow spheres and mature capsids (C-type) in orange; the PML cage is transparent green (shown only in F). Scale bars are 2 µm.