Open Access

Vladislav Cepák, František Rettich

• DAPI fluorescent staining was used to record cytomorphological changes in cyanophytes during the process of digestion by some mosquito larvae. Control cells were red due to fluorescence of chlorophyll and DNA structures (nucleoids) stained with DAPI emitted strong bluish light. Morphology of Cyanothece, Cyanobacterium, Merismopedia, and all Synechococcus strains dramatically changed along the gut. In the foregut, cells did not apparently differ from control. In the hindgut however, no chlorophyll fluorescence was observed, cells exhibited weakly bluish or yellowish fluorescence (typical for dead cells) and no DNA material or polyphosphate granules were observed. However the cells were not apparently broken (except of Cyanothece). The sequence of degradation of the material was chlorophyll, polyphosphate granules and DNA structures. In the strains of Arthrospira, Chroococcus, Microcystis and both Synechocystis strains no fundamental morphological differences were observed among the cells located in fore- and hindgut.