The morphology, genetic and (bio)chemical composition of the mucilage envelope has been recognized mainly for diaspores of Arabidopsis thaliana wild form and mutants. Whereas mucilaginous diaspores are known for more than 50 different families among them for plants with e.g. important medical or pharmaceutical value. There has been still lacking the information about the spatial arrangement and structure of the polysaccharides within the mucilage envelope (mucilaginous cell wall). In the present project the obtained results delivered clear evidences allowed for the first time to describing the mucilage spatial architecture. The obtained results revealed that the mucilage envelope is forming loosely organized net-like structure where the cellulose fibrils stay attached to the seed surface and constitute the main skeleton for the rest of the components (pectins, hemicelluloses and structural protein). Special preparation method i.e. Critical Point Drying (CPD) and visualization with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), allowed to achieve the significant progress in the structural studies of the mucilaginous cell wall. For the first time it was possible to visualize and describe the shape, size and organization of the components within the mucilage envelope at the nanoscale. The standard microscopic techniques as well as diverse (bio)chemical or genetic analysis cannot provide such detailed structural information. This part of the project, including the applied combination of two techniques (CPD and SEM), can be exploit for elementary studies of the cell wall structure and function in different plant organisms. They can be use in the structural analysis of cell wall modifications or adaptations to diverse biotic or abiotic conditions. The described biochemical composition and spatial architecture of mucilage of diverse diaspores also demonstrated that these features can have an influence on the mucilage envelope ecological and physical properties. The results obtained in this project allowed to make a progress particularly in the studies concerning the mucilage envelope biochemical composition, spatial structure and physical features as well as in the mucilage ecology. The final conclusions coming from this project will be important in different ways allowing e.g.: 1. to follow through the evolution and adaptation of plants (cell wall structure) to different habitats, 2. to study and redesign the cell wall for industry - for the production of textile, timber, paper and biofuel, 3. to study the spatial structure and biomechanical features of the cell wall after diverse mutations and changes in the chemical composition which can be use e.g. in timber production and manufacturing, 4. to make new concepts in the nano-industrial technologies e.g. in the production of cellulose (nano)fibers, glues based on the natural components or in medicine for the production of bandages based on the mucilage envelope.
