Laser-induced tobacco protoplast fusion

Laser tweezers can manipulate small particles, such as cells and organdies. When coupling them with laser microbeam selective fusion of two tobacco protoplasts containing some chloroplast was achieved. Physical and biological variables that affect laser trapping and laser-induced fusion were also discussed. The results show that the effect of chloroplast content and distribution on the yield of cell fusion is remarkable.     

原生质体融合选育高产脂肽LI-F多粘类芽胞杆菌及融合菌株表达差异分析

本研究以多粘类芽胞杆菌JSa-9前期诱变获得的两株带有营养缺陷型标记的菌株N1-37(Phe–)和N2-27(His–)作为亲本菌株,采用聚乙二醇作为促融剂,进行原生质体融合,筛选出高产LI-F类抗菌脂肽的融合菌株。通过HPLC对融合菌株和原始菌株产LI-F类抗菌脂肽进行定量检测,并利用实时荧光定量PCR对菌株JSa-9和融合菌株中LI-F类抗菌脂肽合成酶的关键基因fus A1、fus A2、fus C1和fus C2的差异性表达进行分析。结果表明,经过原生质融合获得一株LI-F类抗菌脂肽高产菌株F5-15。菌株F5-15的LI-F类抗菌脂肽产量为原始菌株产量的3.1倍,LI-F类抗菌脂肽合成酶的4个关键基因在融合菌株F5-15中的表达量分别是其在原始菌株JSa-9中的10.48、2.48、2.1和11.8倍。     

Purification and properties of acid phosphatase from cultured tobacco cells

One component of acid phosphatase was purified from cultured tobacco cells. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with or without sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme possesses high activity toward nucleoside di- and triphosphate, much less activity toward nucleoside monophosphates and sugar esters. The MWs of the phosphatase determined by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis were 74000 and 76000, respectively. The phosphatase showed high affinity for concanavalin A-Sepharose and single superimposed bands of protein and carbohydrate on gel electrophoresis, suggesting that it is a glycoprotein.     

平菇种内原生质体分离与融合杂交育种技术的研究

将16个平菇资源品种的菌丝体,在25℃、pH5．8-6．0环境下,分别用1．5％溶菌酶加0．6mol／L KCl稳渗剂溶解其细胞壁2h,原生质体数得量最高。将获得的原生质体两两配对成39个组合,在30℃、pH9、0．6mol／L KCl稳渗剂、不加融合促进剂CaCl2和PEG6000的融合条件下,得到种内杂交融合子5株。其中4株融合子再生出菌丝体和子实体;同皿接种实验显示,新菌株与其双亲具明显的拮抗线。经栽培试验与生产示范,新育的“优生1号”品系表现适应性强,优质、丰产、抗杂、耐热。     

Application of protoplast fusion technique to genetic recombination of Micromonospora rosaria

The optimum conditions for efficient formation and regeneration of Micromonospora rosaria protoplasts have been determined. The state of inoculum culture and stage of growth in a medium containing partially growth-inhibiting concentrations of glycine had significant effects on protoplasting. A high frequency of regeneration was accomplished with a hypertonic regeneration agar medium. A slight difference was found in the optimum culture age for formation and regeneration of protoplasts. Protoplast fusion was carried out using these optimum conditions. The recombinant frequency varied from 0.7 to 5.9% in the intraspecific crosses employing single and multiple auxotrophic markers. Electron microscopy showed stable and intact protoplasts when they were prepared with a hypertonic buffer. However, many protoplasts were shown to be damaged and many membraneous vesicles were observed when prepared in buffer without sucrose. The fusion process of protoplasts of Micromonospora was observed with the aid of electron microscopy.     

Regeneration of intergeneric somatic hybrids by protoplast fusion between Onobrychis viciaefolia and Medicago sativa

Protoplast fusion was induced between sainfoin and alfalfa by an improved polyethyleneglycol (PEG) method. The intergeneric somatic calluses were selected based on complementation of hydroxyproline-resistance of sainfoin and hormone autonomy growth of alfalfa transformation cell line. 17 somatic hybrid plantlets were regenerat-ed. PEG could induce the tight agglutination of protoplasts. During diluting and washing process, cyclization of the linked membrane and formation of vesicle-like structures were observed, resulting in protoplast fusion. 5%-10% glycerol supplemented in the fusion inducing solution markedly increased the frequency of heterogeneous fusion. Better fusion results were obtained when mixed protoplast suspension was dripped in petri dishes in which PEG solution was previously placed. Chromosome number of regenerated hybrid buds varied from 30 to 60. The genome of hybrids in-cluded the small chromosome from sainfoin and two chromosomes with two clear constrictions from alfalfa. The hybrid     

A somatic hybrid plant obtained by protoplast fusion between navel orange (Citrus sinensis) and satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu)

A somatic hybrid plant was obtained by protoplast fusion between navel orange and satsuma mandarin. Protoplasts isolated from nucellar calli of navel orange and from leaves of satsuma mandarin were fused by the PEG method. The fusion products were cultured in a Murashige & Tucker medium containing 0.6 M sucrose. In this medium, some colonies developed into whole plants through embryogenesis. One of the regenerated plants was shown to be a hybrid, which was proven by restriction endonuclease analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The chromosome number of the hybrid was 36. Both parents have a chromosome number 2n=18.     

Alkaloid production by plants regenerated from cultured cells of Datura innoxia

Cellular aggregates in Datura innoxia suspension cultures give rise to large numbers of shoots when such aggregates are cultured in the light on an auxin-free agar medium supplemented with kinetin. These shoots form roots on a kinetin-free medium to develop into complete plants. Most of the regenerated plants are diploid, and the frequencies of ancuploid or polyploid plants are much lower than might be expected from the distribution of chromosome number in the cultured cells. During root ditterentiation and plant development, scopolamine synthesis is initiated and there is a progressive increase in the alkaloid content. Consequently, the general pattern of alkaloid composition is restored to a normal state in the majority of the regenerated plants including aneuploid or polyploids. Nevertheless, some of the plants show an abnormal expression in alkaloid metabolism, such as the complete hydrolysis of scopolamine in the dried leaves.     

Significance of caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase in lignification of cultured tobacco cells

Caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase, activity was assayed in the callus and suspension cultured cells of tobacco. Lignification of cells was observed only in a kinetin (10^?5 M) culture and not in an auxin (10^?6 M 2,4-D or 10^?5 M IBA) culture. Enzyme activity in the kinetin cultured cells was much higher than in the stock culture and the rise in enzyme activity coincided with the onset of lignification.     

Interspecies protoplast fusion inLarix: Comparison of electric and chemical methods

Summary Larix was chosen for the study on interspecies protoplast fusion due to its ability to regenerate plants from protoplasts derived from embryogenic cultures.L. laricina line L2 was used in fusion experiments with eitherL. × eurolepis line L6 orL. × leptoeuropaea line L5. A method of unambiguous labeling of parental protoplasts prior to fusion was developed using vital fluorescent dyes. Of a number of dyes tested, only rhodamine B hexyl ester chloride (R6) and 3,3′-dihexylox-carbocyanine iodide (DiOC₆) stained the protoplasts in a consistent and uniform fashion. The fusion of mixed parental protoplasts that were internally labeled was carried out either in the presence of a 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution or in an electric field. The progress of fusion was readily observed, taking only minutes under the experimental conditions. The fusion products could be identified by dual fluorescence several h after the onset of fusion. Heterofusion frequencies of approximately 18% and 6% in the presence of PEG and an electric field, respectively, were attained. Postfusion cultures betweenL. × laricina protoplasts and protoplasts ofL. × leptoeuropaea gave rise to cell colonies and betweenL. laricina andL. × eurolepis, to mature somatic embryos.     

Molecular probes for the detection of Kluyveromyces marxianus chromosomal DNA in electrophoretic karyotypes of intergeneric protoplast fusion products

Random genomic DNA fragments from Kluyveromyces marxianus were cloned in order to identify chromosomal bands in pulsed field electrophoresis patterns of intergeneric hybrid strains which were obtained by protoplast fusion. Molecular hybridization data indicated that the K. marxianus parental strain might be triploid, and it showed strong chromosome length polymorphism. We analyzed the karyotype of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae/K. marxianus hybrid strains (St. 1, St. 46) with our DNA probes and with a Ty1 specific probe. We found indications for recombinational events which lead to the formation of hybrid chromosomal DNA molecules.     

Somatic cell cryopreservation and protoplast regeneration of important disease-resistant wild rice Oryza meyeriana Baill

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Cardiolipin synthesis for the assembly of bacterial and mitochondrial membranes

In this article, the formation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cardiolipin is reviewed in light of its biological function. I begin with a detailed account of the structure of cardiolipin, its stereochemistry, and the resulting physical properties, and I present structural analogs of cardiolipin that occur in some organisms. Then I continue to discuss i) the de novo formation of cardiolipin, ii) its acyl remodeling, iii) the assembly of cardiolipin into biological membranes, and iv) the degradation of cardiolipin, which may be involved in apoptosis and mitochondrial fusion. Thus, this article covers the entire metabolic cycle of this unique phospholipid. It is shown that mitochondria produce cardiolipin species with a high degree of structural uniformity and molecular symmetry, among which there is often a dominant form with four identical acyl chains. The subsequent assembly of cardiolipin into functional membranes is largely unknown, but the analysis of crystal structures of membrane proteins has revealed a first glimpse into the underlying principles of cardiolipin-protein interactions. Disturbances of cardiolipin metabolism are crucial in the pathophysiology of human Barth syndrome and perhaps also play a role in diabetes and ischemic heart disease.     

Dedifferentiation of chloroplasts in interspecific and homospecific protoplast fusion products

Summary Interspecific and homospecific protoplast fusion products (Vicia narbonensis +V. hajastana,V. hajastana+V. hajastana) regenerated cell walls and divided when culturedin vitro for a period of 7 days. While most organelles appeared typical of actively growing plant cells, chloroplasts exhibited structural changes which were interpreted as dedifferentiation.     

Invertase in cultured Daucus carota cells

Invertase activity of cultured carrot cells was distributed between cell wall and supernatant fractions of the cell homogenate. The enzyme associated with the cell wall fraction was solubilized by alkaline NaCl solution and the proportions found in the cell wall and soluble fractions depended on the concentration of NaCl. Formation of protoplasts by the action of cellulase and pectinase was accompanied by release of 50–60% of the invertase activity from the cells.     

Membrane fusion in cells: molecular machinery and mechanisms

Membrane fusion is a sine qua non process for cell physiology. It is critical for membrane biogenesis, intracellular traffic, and cell secretion. Although investigated for over a century, only in the last 15 years, the molecular machinery and mechanism of membrane fusion has been deciphered. The membrane fusion event elicits essentially three actors on stage: anionic phospholipids - phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidyl serines, specific membrane proteins, and the calcium ions, all participating in a well orchestrated symphony. Three soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF)-attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) have been implicated in membrane fusion. Target membrane proteins, SNAP-25 and syntaxin (t- SNARE) and secretory vesicle-associated membrane protein (v-SNARE) or VAMPwere discovered in the 1990's and suggested to be the minimal fusion machinery. Subsequently, the molecular mechanism of SNARE-induced membrane fusion was discovered. It was demonstrated that when t-SNARE-associated lipid membrane is exposed to v-SNARE-associated vesicles in the presence of Ca(2+), the SNARE proteins interact in a circular array to form conducting channels, thus establishing continuity between the opposing bilayers. Further it was proved that SNAREs bring opposing bilayers close to within a distance of 2-3 Angstroms, allowing Ca(2+) to bridge them. The bridging of bilayers by Ca(2+) then leads to the expulsion of water between the bilayers at the contact site, allowing lipid mixing and membrane fusion. Calcium bridging of opposing bilayers leads to the release of water, both from the water shell of hydrated Ca(2+) ions, as well as the displacement of loosely coordinated water at the phosphate head groups in the lipid membrane. These discoveries provided for the first time, the molecular mechanism of SNARE-induced membrane fusion in cells. Some of the seminal discoveries are briefly discussed in this minireview.     

Fusion of cultured dog kidney (MDCK) cells: I. Technique,fate of plasma membranes and of cell nuclei

Summary The evaluation of the intracellular signal train and its regulatory function in controlling transepithelial transport with electrophysiological methods often requires intracellular measurements with microelectrodes. However, multiple impalements in epithelial cells are hampered by the small size of the cells. In an attempt to avoid these problems we fused cells of an established cell line, Madin Darby canine kidney cells, originally derived from dog kidney, to giant cells by applying a modified polyethylene glycol method. During trypsin-induced detachment from the ground of the petri dish, individual cells grown in a monolayer incorporate volume and mainly lose basolateral plasma membrane by extrusion. By isovolumetric cell-to-cell fusion, spherical giant cells are formed within 2 hr. During this process a major part of the individual cell plasma membranes is internalized. Over three weeks following cell plasma membrane fusion degradation of single cell nuclei and cell nuclear fusion occurs. We conclude that this experimental approach opens the possibility to investigate ion transport of epithelia in culture by somatic cell genetic techniques.     

Characterization of Streptomyces D3 derived from protoplast fusion between Streptomyces cyaneus 190-1 and Streptomyces griseoruber 42-9

Streptomyces D3, derived from protoplast fusion between Streptomyces cyaneus 190-1 and Streptomyces griseoruber 42-9, has the ability to produce high levels of xylose isomerase when grown on hemicellulosic materials such as xylan as the carbon source. Comparison between the partial nucleotide sequences of the 16S ribosomal RNA genes from S. cyaneus 190-1, S. griseoruber 42-9, and fusant D3 showed that the 16S rRNA gene of fusant D3 was identical to that of S. cyaneus 190-1. Partial sequence analysis of the xylose isomerase genes also indicated that the gene of fusant D3 was identical to that of S. cyaneus 190-1. The partial DNA fragments for the xylanase genes (xlnA and xlnB) of fusant D3 were amplified by PCR, and subjected to Southern hybridization analysis. The results revealed that the xlnB gene of fusant D3 was similar to that of S. cyaneus 190-1, but that the xlnA gene of fusant D3 was similar to that of S. griseoruber 42-9. These results suggest that the majority of the genome of fusant D3 may be derived from S. cyaneus 190-1.     

Plant regeneration from cultured protoplasts of a glutinous rice

Young embryos of rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp, japonicavar. Guo-xiang No. 1) were cultured on MS agar medium(2,4-D 2 mg/l). Calli were formed and subcultured on N6 agar medium (2,4-D 2 mg/l ). After selection, the small, grainy and pale yellowish cell clusters with dense cytoplasm were used in protoplast preparation. Isolated protoplasts were cultured in N6 medium (2,4-D 1 mg/l, 6-BA 0.2 mg/l)~1 with agarose block culture method. The protoplasts grew, divided and formed calli. After inducing differentiation, the regenerated mature plants were obtained.