Karyokinesis in growing and reverting protoplasts ofSchizosaccharomyces pombe

Division of nuclei without cytokinesis proceeds in growing protoplasts ofSchizosaccharomyces pombe. Prior to regeneration of the complete cell wall and reversion the protoplasts contain 1–7 nuclei, protoplasts with 1–2 nuclei are most frequent. When regeneration of the wall is postponed by adding snail enzymes to the growth medium, protoplasts with a higher number of nuclei (2–4) occur. Multinuclear protoplasts can revert to cells. During the first cytokinesis the protoplast with the regenerated cell wall is divided into two cells by a septum, distribution of nuclei between the two cells being probably incidental. More than only a single nucleus can pass to the revertants even during the second cytokinesis. Septation of protoplasts occurs also during a partial blockage of the wall formation by the snail enzyme preparation, however, reversion to cells can never be observed here (it occurs only after transfer of protoplasts to the medium without the enzyme preparation). The growing and reverting protoplasts represent a very good model system for studying relations among individual processes of the cell cycle, primarily growth of the cell, nuclear cycle and cytokinesis. Yeast protoplasts are often utilized as models for studying morphogenic processes, relations among regeneration of the cell wall, including division of the nucleus (karyokinesis) and cytokinesis.     

Pea Xyloglucan and Cellulose : IV. Assembly of beta-Glucans by Pea Protoplasts

The synthesis and assembly of xyloglucan were examined during early stages of wall regeneration by protoplasts isolated from growing regions of etiolated peas. During early stages of cultivation, fluorescence microscopy showed that the protoplast surface bound Calcofluor and ammonium salt of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid and, in time, it also bound fluorescent fucose-binding lectin. Based on chemical analysis, 1,3-β-glucan was the main polysaccharide formed by protoplasts and xyloglucan and cellulose were minor wall components. Binding between cellulose and xyloglucan was not as strong as that in tissues of intact pea plants, i.e. mild alkali could dissolve most xyloglucan from the protoplast. However, the addition of exogenous pea xyloglucan into the culture medium stimulated the deposition of new polysaccharides into the protoplast wall and enhanced the close association of newly formed xyloglucan with cellulose.     

Studies of cotyledon protoplast cultures from Brassica napus,B. campestris and B. oleracea. I: Cell wall regeneration and cell division

Protoplasts isolated from cotyledons of a number of cultivars of Brassica napus, B. campestris and B. oleracea were cultured in different media to study the characteristics of cell wall regeneration and cell division at early stages of culture. Time course analysis using Calcolfluor White staining indicated that cell wall regeneration began in some protoplasts 2–4 h following isolation in all cultivars. 30–70% of cultured cotyledon protoplasts exhibited cell wall regeneration at 24 h and about 60–90% at 72 h after the initiation of culture. Results also indicated that a low percentage (0.4–5.4%) of cultured cotyledon protoplasts entered their first cell division one day after initial culture in all twelve cultivars. The percentage of dividing cells increased linearly up to 40% from 1 to 7 day, indicating that cotyledon protoplasts of Brassica had a high capacity for cell division. Factors that influence the level of cell wall regeneration and cell division during cotyledon protoplast culture have been investigated in this study. Cotyledons from seedlings germinated in a dark/dim light regime provided a satisfactory tissue source for protoplast isolation and culture for all Brassica cultivars used. The percentages of protoplasts exhibiting cell wall regeneration and division were significantly influenced by cultivar and species examined, with protoplasts from all five cultivars of B. campestris showing much lower rates of cell wall regeneration than those of B. napus and B. oleracea over 24–120 h, and with the levels of cell division in B. napus cultivars being much higher than those in B. campestris and B. oleracea over 1–9 days. The capacity of cell wall regeneration and cell division in cotyledon protoplast culture of the Brassica species appears under strong genetic control. Cell wall regeneration in protoplast culture was not affected by the culture medium used. In contrast, the composition of the culture medium played an important role in determining the level of cell division, and the interaction between medium type and cultivars was very significant.Abbreviations BA benzylaminopurine - CPW Composition of Protoplast Washing-solution - CW Calcolfluor White - EDTA ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid - KT Kinetin - Md MS modified Murashige and Skoog medium - 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - PAR photosynthetically active radiation - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

Experimental inhibition of cell wall formation and of reversion inNadsonia elongata andSchizosaccharomyces pombe protoplasts

Summary The growth, cell wall regeneration, and the reversion of the protoplasts ofNadsonia elongata andSchizosaccbaromyces pombe cultivated in nutrient media containing snail enzyme was studied by light and electron microscopy. The protoplasts grew in the presence of snail enzyme and an incomplete cell wall composed of fibrils was formed on their surface. Thus, the presence of snail enzyme inhibited the completion of cell wall structure and, consequently, the reversion of the protoplasts to normal cells. The transfer of these protoplasts to medium free from snail enzyme led first to the completion of the cell wall and then to the reversion of the protoplasts to normal cells. The reported experiments confirmed that the regeneration of the complete cell wall preceded the protoplast reversion.     

Protoplasts fromPodospora anserina: Isolation,purification, and transformation

Protoplasts fromPodospora anserina mycelium were produced using the commercially available enzyme Novozym 234. Different parameters involved in protoplast isolation were analyzed in order to establish optimal conditions, and protoplast production was notably increased. For the purification of protoplasts, several techniques based on both centrifugation and filtration were assayed, with filtration yielding the best results. Regeneration of protoplasts was studied on different media and osmostic stabilizers, and about 80% regeneration was obtained. The good physiological condition of the protoplasts produced with this method is demonstrated by the lack of cell wall and high regeneration rate and transformation frequencies.     

A comparative study of submicroscopic structures of protoplasts of various yeast species

A submicroscopic structure was studied of protoplasts of five different yeast species multiplying by budding, formation of cross septum and by a division typical for apiculate yeasts. The protoplasts retain their species specificity. Most considerable changes typical for the conversion of a cell to protoplast are found in membrane cell systems. The reduction of membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum is particularly striking. Both membrane units are frequently separated from each other by lenticular pseudovacuoles. Mitochondria in protoplasts are swollen and their number is reduced approximately two-fold. Defects are often observed in a nuclear membrane. The perinuclear space is usually extended by lenticular pseudovacuoles. A large number of vacuoles is observed in the basic protoplast cytoplasm. The surface of the protoplasts of all species studied is formed only by a cytoplasmic membrane. A partially digested original cell wall often adheres to protoplasts ofSchizosaccharomyces pombe.     

A simple method for the isolation of plant protoplasts

A simple protoplast isolation protocol that was designed to recover totipotent plant protoplasts with relative ease has been described. The key elements of the protocol are, tissue digestion at slightly elevated temperatures and use of protoplast-releasing enzymes that are stable and efficient at higher temperatures. Besides enzymes, the protoplast isolation cocktail consisted of an osmoticum (mannitol or MgSO₄), and a protectant (CaCl₂ 2H₂O), all dissolved in distilled water. The protocol has ensured reproducibility, higher yields and is gentle on protoplasts as the protoplasts obtained were amenable to cell wall regeneration and cell division. Plant regeneration was demonstrated forNicotiana tabacum cv. Thompson from protoplasts isolated by this method. Wall regeneration and cell division were obtained in other species. The merits of the protocol are, simple and easy-to-handle procedure, non-requirement of preconditioning of donor plant and explants, incubation without agitation, satisfactory yields, culturability of the protoplasts isolated and applicability of the protocol to a large number of species including mucilage-containing plants.     

Seaweed protoplasts: status,biotechnological perspectives and needs

Protoplasts are living plant cells without cell walls which offer a unique uniform single cell system that facilitates several aspects of modern biotechnology, including genetic transformation and metabolic engineering. Extraction of cell wall lytic enzymes from different phycophages and microbial sources has greatly improved protoplast isolation and their yield from a number of anatomically more complex species of brown and red seaweeds which earlier remained recalcitrant. Recently, recombinant cell wall lytic enzymes were also produced and evaluated with native ones for their potential abilities in producing viable protoplasts from Laminaria. Reliable procedures are now available to isolate and culture protoplasts from diverse groups of seaweeds. To date, there are 89 species belonging to 36 genera of green, red and brown seaweeds from which successful protoplast isolation and regeneration has been reported. Of the total species studied for protoplasts, most belonged to Rhodophyta with 41 species (13 genera) followed by Chlorophyta and Phaeophyta with 24 species each belonging to 5 and 18 genera, respectively. Regeneration of protoplast-to-plant system is available for a large number of species, with extensive literature relating to their culture methods and morphogenesis. In the context of plant genetic manipulation, somatic hybridization by protoplast fusion has been accomplished in a number of economically important species with various levels of success. Protoplasts have also been used for studying foreign gene expression in Porphyra and Ulva. Isolated protoplasts are also exploited in numerous miscellaneous studies involving membrane function, cell structure, bio-chemical synthesis of cell walls etc. This article briefly reviews the status of various developments in seaweed protoplasts research and their potentials in genetic improvement of seaweeds, along with needs that must to be fulfilled for effective realization of the objectives envisaged for protoplast research.     

Protoplast formation and regeneration in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus delbrueckii</Emphasis>

Method for production and regeneration of Lactobacillus delbrueckii protoplasts are described. The protoplasts were obtained by treatment with a mixture of lysozyme and mutanolysin in protoplast buffer at pH 6.5 with different osmotic stabilizers. The protoplasts were regenerated on deMan, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) with various osmotic stabilizers. Maximum protoplast formation was obtained in protoplast buffer with sucrose as an osmotic stabilizer using a combination of lysozyme (1 mg/ml) and mutanolysin (10 μg/ml). Maximum protoplast regeneration was obtained on MRS medium with sucrose (0.5 M) as an osmotic stabilizer. The regeneration medium was also applicable to other species of lactobacilli as well. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on protoplast formation and efficient regeneration in case of L. delbrueckii.     

The isolation and regenaration of protoblast from Lipomyces starkeyi: an oleaginous yeast

The isolation and regenration of prostoplasts from Lipomyces starkeyi have been optimised. Snail enzyme (12 mg·ml⁻¹) proved to be the most effective lytic enzyme although treatment with Novozym 234, Cellulase CP and β-glucanase also resulted in protoplast formation. Magnesium sulphate (0.55 M) was shown to be the best fro protoplast isolation. Exponential phase cells were most susceptible to the lytic enzyme, stationary phase cells appeared to be resistant. 2-Mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol did not enahance the isolation of protoplasts in this yeast. The optimum pH for protoplast isolation was 5.8. Ultrastructural observations were made on cells during lytic digestion and revealed that the cell wall and capsule are stripped away from the protoplast.Protoplast synthesised new cell wall material when cultured on osmotically stabilised medium, regeneration was not oberved in liquid medium. Optimum regeneration occured when protoplasts were embedded in a thin layer of minimal medium osmotically stabilised with mannitol (0.6M) and solidified with 1.5–2.0% agar. A basal layer of medium was also stabilised with mannitol (0.6 M) but contained 3% agar. The lytic enzyme used for protoplast isolation did not appear to effect the regeneration of protoplasts.     

Uptake of protoplasts from the filamentous fungiAspergillus nidulans andFusarium oxysporum into protoplasts from celery (Apium graveolens L.)

Summary Protoplasts isolated from celery cell suspension cultures, were mixed with fungal protoplasts, from either the saprophytic speciesAspergillus nidulans or the pathogenic speciesFusarium oxysporum. The incubation of protoplast mixtures with PEG caused close adhesion between plant and fungal protoplasts. Subsequent dilution of PEG resulted in the uptake of protoplasts from either fungal species into the plant protoplast cytoplasm. A range of PEG concentrations, incubation times and dilution rates were tested to maximise adhesion and uptake frequencies. Identification of uptake was achieved either by fluorescent staining of nuclei or by electron-microscopy. A maximum of 10% celery protoplasts had taken upA. nidulans protoplasts after PEG treatment. Fungal protoplasts were taken up into celery protoplast cytoplasm by endocytosis, and were maintained within vesicles; two bounding membranes were observed by electron microscopy. Plant protoplast viability was determined during prolonged incubation following fungal protoplast uptake. The presence ofA. nidulans protoplasts tended to maintain celery protoplast viability and although some morphological disintegration occurred intact celery protoplasts remained for at least 92 h after uptake. The uptake ofF. oxysporum protoplasts markedly depressed celery protoplast viability after 24 h incubation and greater celery protoplast disintegration occurred.Abbreviations PEG Polyethylene glycol - DAPI 4,6-diaminido-2-phenylindole - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Protoplasts of Pyricularia oryzae P2 : Preparation and Regeneration into Hyphal Form

Protoplasts of Pyricularia oryzae P₂, a rice blast mold, were prepared in high yield from the young mycelium of the fungus using lytic enzymes from Bacillus circulans WL 12. The majority of the protoplasts had one nucleus per cell. The protoplasts formed a cell wall and eventually reverted to normal mycelial form in liquid medium. The process of regeneration was studied under phase-contrast and electron microscopes. The protoplast built a very thick wall prior to the protrusion of a germ-tube like hypha. Golgi apparatus-like structures appeared in the early stage of regeneration and disappeared later. Electron-transparent amorphous structures accumulated during regeneration. Lomasomes were observed in the regenerated cell walls.     

Formation and regeneration of protoplasts of Sclerotium glucanicum

Summary Protoplast yields from Sclerotium glucanicum using Novozym 234 as the lytic enzyme were affected by the osmotic stabilizers selected, the incubation conditions used for wall degradation, and culture age. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that protoplast release from all hyphal regions gradually followed random wall attack, and nuclear staining showed that some protoplasts contained as many as eight nuclei. Their regeneration involved germ tube production on solid media, but formation of chains of buds and possibly cytoplasmic cleavage in liquid medium. Regenerated protoplasts gave similar exopolysaccharide yields to those of the parent culture.     

Isolation of cytoplasts from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) and production of alloplasmic hybrid calluses via cytoplast–protoplast fusion

Cytoplasm of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) is known to influence seedlessness. Transfer of cytoplasm to a seedy cultivar could possibly lead to the production of seedless citrus fruits. In the present paper cytoplasts were isolated from cell suspension-derived protoplasts of Satsuma mandarin via ultra-centrifugation in a discontinuous gradient. No nucleus could be detected in the cytoplasts by DAPI (4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining compared with normal protoplasts. The cytoplasts, with high viability and small size, did not divide during solid embedding culture. Cytoplasts of Satsuma mandarin were electrically fused with embryogenic protoplasts of Murcott tangor (C. reticulata × C. sinensis), which led to regeneration of several cell lines. Flow cytometry (FCM) indicated that the cell lines were diploids. Simple sequence repeats (SSR) and cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence (CAPS) showed that the cell lines got their nuclear DNA from the protoplast parent, whereas the cytoplast parent donated the mtDNA, confirming transfer of mtDNA from Satsuma mandarin into Murcott tangor via cytoplast–protoplast fusion though no polymorphism was detected in chloroplast DNA between the fusion partners. This is the first report on isolation and characterization of cytoplasts, together with cytoplast–protoplast fusion in Citrus, which has a potential for citrus cultivar improvement involving cytoplasm transfer via cytoplast–protoplast fusion.     

Sucrose biosynthesis in Dunaliella

Four independent kinds of observations indicate that the cell wall regenerated by oat (Avena sativa L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) protoplasts in culture is less well developed than that regenerated by tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) protoplasts. Following wall regeneration the cereal protoplasts remained susceptible to osmotic shock upon transfer to water, showed great enlargement, stained poorly with calcofluor white, and maintained a positive internal electrical potential. The development of a negative membrane potential by tobacco protoplasts in culture often occurred simultaneously with the onset of cell division. Since division was observed only in protoplasts which had regenerated good cell walls and had re-established negative membrane potentials it is suggested that culture conditions which favor these two processes should improve protoplast viability.     

Involvement of an acid phosphatase on cell wall regeneration of tobacco protoplasts

Tobacco protoplasts begin to regenerate their own cell walls, the major components of which are β-glucans, soon after they are transferred into an adequate medium. During the cell wall regeneration the protoplasts secrete two isoforms of acid phosphatase (APase) in time-dependent manner. We determined that one of the isoforms, the Brefeldin A (BFA) sensitive one, is the cell wall resident APase (WP-II) by immunoblotting of the isoform with anti-WP-II antibody. We hypothesized that the WP-II may participate in the deposition of β-glucan microfibrils on the protoplast surface during cell wall regeneration. In order to examine this hypothesis, the protoplasts were cultivated in the cell wall regeneration medium containing the same amount of the BFA-sensitive APase (230 µg protein) as is secreted by the observed number of protoplasts (1.4 × 10⁵ protoplasts) per plate (30-mm-diameter) during a 3-h cultivation after transfer to the cell wall regeneration medium. The addition of WP-II to the cell wall regeneration medium stimulated the deposition of β-glucan microfibrils on the surface of the protoplasts during cell wall regeneration. To determine the stimulative effect of the 60 kDa polypeptide of WP-II, protoplasts were cultivated in the medium containing the amount of anti-WP-II IgG (230 µg protein) equivalent to the BFA-sensitive APase. These results suggested that the 60 kDa polypeptide of WP-II is the BFA-sensitive APase which is responsible for the enhanced deposition of β-glucan microfibrils on the surface of the protoplasts.     

An Ultrastructural Study on Pollen Protoplasts and Pollen Tubes Germinated From Them in Gladiolus gandavensis

Large quantities of protoplasts were isolated enzymatically from the mature pollen grains in Gladiolus gandavensis. Regeneration of cell wall and germination of pollen tubes were performed during culture of purified pollen protoplasts in Ks medium supplemented with 32% sucrose, 0.1 mg/1 2,4-D, 1 mg/1 NAA and 0.2 mg/1 6-BA, with a germination rate up to 47.7%. The materials were fixed gently with gradually increasing concentration of glutaraldehyde, followed by osmium, then preembedded in a thin layer of agar and surveyed under an inverted microscope so as to select desired specimens for subsequent procedure. Small agar blocks containing specimens were dehydrated through ethanal-propylene oxide series, embedded in Araldite and ultratomed. Electron microscopic observations show that the pollen protoplasts are surrounded by a smooth plasma membrane and with ultrastructurally intact cytoplasm, a vegetative nucleus and a generative cell. After 8h of culture, wall regeneration commences resulting in a multilayered, fibrillar wall structure which is different from the intine. No exine is formed. Numerous vesicles participate actively in the wall formation. The wall is uneven in thickness around its periphery; a thickened area somewhat resembling to germ furrow is formed, from which pollen tube emerges. The tubes contain abundant plastids, mitochondria and dictyosomes. Vesicles are released out of the plasma membrane and involved in tube wall formation. After 18h of culture, the vegetative nucleus and generative cell have migrated into the tube. Technical points of preparing pollen protoplast specimens for ultastructural studies and the fearnres of wall regeneration in pollen protoplast culture are discussed.     

Ultrastructural aspects of wall regeneration byPythium protoplasts

Electron microscope studies were made of wall regeneration byPythium protoplasts. Wall regeneration began with the formation of a loose network of fibrils on the surface of the protoplast followed by increase in density of the fibrillar mesh and deposition of granular matrix material. The majority of the protoplasts did not develop beyond the loose fibrillar network stage, however a small percentage were able to complete wall formation and to form hyphal tubes. A clear zone of demarcation was visible between the fibrillar surface of the protoplast and the smooth surface at the base of the developing hyphal tube.     

The culture response of Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts is determined by the growth conditions of donor plants

Procedures previously established for plant regeneration from mesophyll protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana have been optimized. The protoplast plating efficiency (number of microcalli per number of plated protoplasts) is strongly dependent on the growth conditions of the donor plant, especially medium composition and illumination conditions. The yield of microcalli is markedly influenced by the nitrogen source in the protoplast culture medium. The developed procedure gives reproducible plating efficiencies of 7–10%, i.e. 15–20 times higher than previously published (0.5%) for A. thaliana race C24.     

Reduction of the number of nuclei per cell ofHelminthosporium euphorbiae by protoplast isolation

Helminthosporium euphorbiae is a pathogen of the weedEuphorbia heterophylla, which causes severe losses in soybean (Glycine max) crops. The fungus causes leaf loss and affects germination, making it a promising biocontrol agent for this weed. In order to start a breeding program for this species, four isolates were examined for number of nuclei in the conidia and hyphae and nuclear behavior at different cultivation stages. The conidia were multinucleated with about 20 nuclei per conidium, and 5 to 7 nuclei were observed in the hyphae compartments. The high number of nuclei makes the genetic manipulation of this species diffucult, so the protoplast formation is an alternative for obtaining cells with a reduced number of nuclei. Thus the experimental conditions for the production and regeneration of protoplasts inH. euphorbiae were determined by assessing three enzymatic complexes and seven osmotic stabilizers. The efficiency of formation and regeneration frequency of the protoplasts varied depending on isolates, stabilizers and enzyme mixture used. The number of nuclei estimated per protoplast was reduced to 1 to 6, depending on the stage of mycelial growth during the protoplast formation process.