Enhanced Staining of Bacterial Flagella Using Aged Mordant in the Silver Stain

Intensity of bacterial flagella staining using a modified silver stain was increased by aging the mordant for one week at room temperature. The use of aged mordant increased the apparent diameters of stained flagella and resulted in a darker stain. The mordant remained stable for at least four months at room temperature. The staining protocol presented allows application to liquid or solid cultures.     

A Rapid Freehand Sectioning Method for Leaves

For the rapid sectioning of such material as fungus leaf spots a method has been evolved whereby a piece of leaf is soaked in lactophenol and sections are sliced off it, on the slide, under the dissecting microscope, by means of a diagonal scalpel ground with a slightly curved blade. Poor sections can be recognized and removed as soon as they are cut; and it is commonly possible at the same stage to distinguish which sections contain fruiting elements of a fungus.     

A Rapid Method for Sectioning Whole Mature Coniferous Seeds for Histological and Histochemical Study

A method is given for rapidly sectioning whole mature conifer seeds. The procedure consists of soaking seeds in water and allowing the seed contents to swell, whereupon the seeds are sectioned in a cryostat. Sections thus prepared are suitable for histological and histochemical staining.     

APols-Aided Protein Precipitation: A Rapid Method for Concentrating Proteins for Proteomic Analysis

Amphipols (APols) are a newly designed and milder class of detergent. They have been used primarily in protein structure analysis for membrane protein trapping and stabilization. We have recently demonstrated that APols can be used as an alternative detergent for proteome extraction and digestion, to achieve a “One-stop” single-tube workflow for proteomics. In this workflow, APols are removed by precipitation after protein digestion without depleting the digested peptides. Here, we took further advantage of this precipitation characteristic of APols to concentrate proteins from diluted samples. In contrast with tryptic peptides, a decrease in pH leads to the unbiased co-precipitation of APols with proteins, including globular hydrophilic proteins. We demonstrated that this precipitation is a combined effect of acid precipitation and the APols’ protein interactions. Also, we have been able to demonstrate that APols-aided protein precipitation works well on diluted samples, such as secretome sample, and provides a rapid method for protein concentration.     

介绍一种半薄切片定位样品的方法

介绍了一种半薄切片定位样品的方法。此法与前人的方法不同之处在于位于载玻片之上被重新包埋于塑料环内的切片与载玻片的分离真人处步骤是“切片被包埋聚合好后,立即从６０￣６５℃温箱内被转入冰箱冷冻室中（－１８℃）放置５￣１０分钟。然后,将载玻征从冷冻室中取出,轻推塑料环,即可使包埋在塑料环内的切片与载玻片分离。这一方法成功地解决了样品中靶细胞的发育时期确定和样品丢失问题。而且还有简单、易操作和成功率高等优     

介绍一种半薄切片定位样品的办法

介绍了一种半薄切片定位样品的方法。此法与前人的方法不同之处在于位于载玻片之上被重新包埋于塑料环内的切片与载玻片的分离方法。具体操作步骤是：切片被包埋聚合好后,立即从60～65 ℃温箱内被转入冰箱冷冻室中(-18 ℃)放置5～10分钟。然后,将载玻片从冷冻室中取出,轻推塑料环,即可使包埋在塑料环内的切片与载玻片分离。这一方法成功地解决了样品中靶细胞的发育时期确定和样品丢失问题,而且还有简单、易操作和成功率高等优点。     

The Lifestyle of the Segmented Filamentous Bacterium: A Non-Culturable Gut-Associated Immunostimulating Microbe Inferred by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Numerous microbes inhabit the mammalian intestinal track and strongly impact host physiology; however, our understanding of this ecosystem remains limited owing to the high complexity of the microbial community and the presence of numerous non-culturable microbes. Segmented filamentous bacteria (SFBs), which are clostridia-related Gram-positive bacteria, are among such non-culturable populations and are well known for their unique morphology and tight attachment to intestinal epithelial cells. Recent studies have revealed that SFBs play crucial roles in the post-natal maturation of gut immune function, especially the induction of Th17 lymphocytes. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of mouse SFBs. The genome, which comprises a single circular chromosome of 1 620 005 bp, lacks genes for the biosynthesis of almost all amino acids, vitamins/cofactors and nucleotides, but contains a full set of genes for sporulation/germination and, unexpectedly, for chemotaxis/flagella-based motility. These findings suggest a triphasic lifestyle of the SFB, which comprises two types of vegetative (swimming and epicellular parasitic) phases and a dormant (spore) phase. Furthermore, SFBs encode four types of flagellin, three of which are recognized by Toll-like receptor 5 and could elicit the innate immune response. Our results reveal the non-culturability, lifestyle and immunostimulation mechanisms of SFBs and provide a genetic basis for the future development of the SFB cultivation and gene-manipulation techniques.     

A Simple and Gentle Method for Concentrating Protein Solutions

A gentle method for concentrating very dilute protein solutions is described. The high capacity of aminohexylagarose in adsorbing different proteins is utilized to handle small or large amounts of protein with practically no losses in material or activity. To concentrate very dilute protein solutions as they occur during purification procedures e. g. of enzymes, a one-step non-inactivating nethod is needed that may easily be integrated into the purification programm.

In the course of the purification of a labile enzyme (1) we developed a simple chromatographic method which seems to work for a large variety of proteins. The procedure is applicable to very dilute protein solutions, to small samples as well as to large scale preparations, and it is relatively inexpensive. It appears to be a very gentle method since in all cases tested no loss of enzymic activity could be observed.     

A silver stain for the detection of nanogram amounts of tRNA following two-dimensional electrophoresis

Three ultrasensitive protein silver-staining methods have been compared with respect to the detection of tRNA in polyacrylamide gels. The method of Sammons (D. W. Sammons, L.D. Adams, and E.E. Nishizawa (1981) Electrophoresis 2, 135-141) has been shown to have remarkable sensitivity, with a detection limit of 0.3 ng tRNA/mm2, allowing the two-dimensional fractionation of submicrogram amounts of bulk tRNA. The application of this technique to developmental and differentiation problems and other areas where the amounts of nonradioactive tRNA available are limited is anticipated.     

纳米金标记-逐步银染法快速检测金黄色葡萄球菌

将纳米金探针应用于目的核酸的检测,具有与PCR相当的灵敏度和特异性.本研究建立了一种可以在微孔板上快速检测金黄色葡萄球菌的纳米金标记-逐步银染法.该方法利用已包被链霉亲和素的微孔板,将PCR扩增的金黄色葡萄球菌nuc基因与生物素探针、纳米金探针形成的三明治杂交结构锚定其上,然后在低温下逐步银染显色,通过酶标仪检测放大的银染信号.这种纳米金标记-逐步银染法可以在显著降低非特异性背景信号的同时放大银染信号,检测金黄色葡萄球菌nuc基因的灵敏度为1 pmol/L,比常温一步银染法的灵敏度提高约102倍. 51例临床标本的检测结果与PCR法一致,与培养生化鉴定法的检测结果之间无显著性差异(P >0.05). 综上所述,本研究成功构建了金黄色葡萄球菌的纳米金标记-逐步银染法,在病原微生物的快速检测领域表现出广阔的发展潜力.     

A Rapid Automated Stathmokinetic Method For Determination of In Vitro Cell Cycle Transit Times

To provide a rapid method for examining cell cycle dynamics, we utilized continuous exposure of Chinese hamster ovary cells and human colon cancer cells to colcemid to block cycling cells in metaphase, suppressing re-entry into G₁. Changes in cell cycle compartment distribution were monitored by DNA flow cytometry. Analysis of the rate of G₂+ M compartment accumulation after addition of colcemid permitted calculation of all cycle transit parameters. These compared favorably with data in the same cell lines determined by the fraction of labeled mitoses technique. Serial assessment of DNA flow cytometry after addition of colcemid permits rapid quantitation of cycle traverse rates.     

A Rapid Staining Method For The Microscopical Examination OF Milk.-A Preliminary Note

In the routine examination of milk with the Breed microscopical method, speed in the staining of the smear, coupled with a clear background are important factors if many samples are to be examined.     

A Method for Thin Sectioning Heavily Sclerotized Cuticle of Odontotaenius disjunctus

Elytra of the bessbeetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus were thin sectioned after embedding in epoxy resin. Sections were cut with a diamond saw, ground to the desired thickness on a rotary grinder and polished. Tearing and distortion were reduced when compared to knife-cut sections of heavily sclerotized cuticle.     

A Microflow Respirometer for Measuring the Oxygen Consumption of Small Aquatic Organisms

A microrespiration device is decribed which uses a Clark electrode to measure the oxygen consumption or production of small and microscopic aquatic organisms in an open flow system. The construction and working principles of the device, which can measure oxygen consumptions as low as 0.5 nl · h⁻¹, are described. The design of the apparatus permits parallel measurements under identical conditions with a single electrode. The device can be matched to various sizes of animal and oxygen consumption rates by means of specimen chambers of different volumes (6 μl, 35 μl, 140 μl) and a variable water flow rate. The microflow respiration device has been used successfully to measure the respiration of zooplankton and meiobenthos organisms as well as protozoans and has also been used successfully on board a research vessel.     

作用于pNPP的磷酸酶在凝胶中的特异性染色

本方法能在聚丙烯酞胺凝胶中快速,简便,灵敏和特异地染能以对硝基苯磷酸盐（pNPP）为底物的磷酸酶．它是根据Goren等人在凝胶中特异性染色环核苷酸磷酸二酯酶的方法[1]改进而成．这是基于pNPP被对硝基苯磷酸酶（pNPPase）作用后释放出的Pi在凝胶中结合铅离子形成磷酸铅,沉淀在胶中形成白色区带,再用硫化铰处理凝胶,将磷酸铅转变为硫化铅,从而使白色区带转变为棕黑色区带．它可同时分析和比较不同动物或细胞以及用不同药物处理的同一来源的动物或细胞的细胞粗提物中pNPPase的生化性质,还可在纯化此类酶的过程中,提前测定在粗提…