A nystatin-resistant mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: isolation and characterization by electron microscopy and chemical analysis of whole cells, cell-walls and protoplasts

A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 239 with a high minimum inhibitory concentration (35 micrograms ml-1) for nystatin, compared to that of the parent strain (2 micrograms ml-1), was derived by a series of subcultures in media containing increasing antibiotic concentrations. In the absence of nystatin, the growth rate of the mutant was significantly lower than the parent strain, although mean cell-size and size-distribution were similar. No differences between strains were detectable by electron microscopy. Analysis of whole cells showed the total sterol present and the ratio of ergosterol:24(28)dehydroergosterol was similar. However, there were marked differences in amino acid content and chain-length of fatty acids in the cell wall, and protoplasts from resistant cells had decreased amounts of unsaturated fatty acids. It is suggested that alterations in cell wall components in the mutant may be directly linked to the mechanism of nystatin resistance.     

Valine-Resistance, a Potential Marker in Plant Cell Genetics. II. Optimization of Uv Mutagenesis and Selection of Valine-Resistant Colonies Derived from Tobacco Mesophyll Protoplasts

The induction and selection of valine-resistant mutants from haploid tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) mesophyll protoplast-derived cells have been studied. Using cells from an original mutant plant obtained previously, we performed reconstruction experiments in order to determine the best conditions for the recovery of resistant cells among a population of sensitive cells. Optimal selective conditions were shown to depend on various factors including cell density, time of addition of valine and seasonal variations affecting the mother plants.-Using cell densities of approximately 10( 4) cells/ml, we defined efficient selective conditions: more than 25% of the putative mutant clones selected from UV-mutagenized protoplasts were reproducibly confirmed to be valine resistant. Further characterization of some regenerated mutant plants indicated that valine-resistance was associated with an uptake deficiency, as in the case of the original mutant plant of the Val(r)-2 line used for reconstruction experiments. Spontaneous mutation rates for valine-resistance were below accurately detectable levels, i.e., less than 10(-6) per cell per generation. Induced mutation frequency varied nonlinearily with UV dose from 10(-5) to 5 x 10(-4) resistant clones per surviving colony. Two independent loci (vr2 and vr3) were previously shown to be involved in valine-resistance due to amino acid uptake deficiency. Haploid tobacco plants were produced through anther culture from an F(1) double-heterozygous plant obtained from a cross between the original mutant plant and a wild-type plant. Study of the level of resistance to valine of protoplast-derived cells allowed the classification of these haploid plants in four types: sensitive, resistant and two intermediary resistant types believed to result from the presence of a mutant allele at only one of the two loci involved. The frequencies of UV-induced mutations in cells derived from haploid plants of one of the intermediary types were compared to those observed in wild-type cells. The results are considered in light of the amphidiploid structure of the tobacco genome.     

Transient and stable expression of marker genes in cotransformedPetunia protoplasts in relation to X-ray and UV-irradiation

Irradiation of protoplasts with X-rays or ultraviolet light does not seem to influence the level of transient expression of foreign DNA inPetunia protoplasts, whereas the number of stably transformed colonies is significantly raised. This may indicate that irradiation influences integration and/or the expression of marker genes and does not result in enhanced uptake rates of plasmids into protoplasts and cell nuclei. Co-transformation with plasmids carrying a gene for kanamycin resistance (neomycin phosphotransferase II) and a gene for hygromycin resistance (hygromycin phosphotransferase) revealed that the cotransformation rates were not stimulated by irradiation when measuring expression. Twenty-five kanamycin resistant but hygromycin sensitive colonies were examined with Southern or slot blotting and all were found to contain the coding sequence for the hygromycinphosphotransferase gene in their genomes. No obvious differences regarding copy number of integrated genes were observed when comparing transformed colonies derived from irradiated and non-irradiated protoplasts.     

Stabilization of cortical microtubules by the cell wall in cultured tobacco cells

Cortical microtubules (MTs) in protoplasts prepared from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) BY-2 cells were found to be sensitive to cold. However, as the protoplasts regenerated cell walls they became resistant to cold, indicating that the cell wall stabilizes cortical MTs against the effects of cold. Since poly-l-lysine was found to stabilize MTs in protoplasts, we examined extensin, an important polycationic component of the cell wall, and found it also to be effective in stabilizing the MTs of protoplasts. Both extensin isolated from culture filtrates of tobacco BY-2 cells and extensin isolated in a similar way from cultures of tobacco XD-6S cells rendered the cortical MTs in protoplasts resistant to cold. Extensin at 0.1 mg·ml⁻¹ was as effective as the cell wall in this respect. It is probable that extensin in the cell wall plays an important role in stabilizing cortical MTs in tobacco BY-2 cells.     

Valine-resistant plants from in vitro selected tobacco cells

Summary Growth inhibition of protoplasts and cells of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) occurs when 0.1 to 10 mM L-valine is present in the culture medium but not if L-isoleucine is simultaneously added. Mesophyll protoplasts from haploid tobacco were submitted to ultraviolet irradiation and cell colonies derived from these protoplasts were plated in a medium containing valine. Plants were regenerated from five presumptive resistant calli and retested for valine-resistance. Among the recovered plants two were definitely resistant to valine. This trait was transmitted in sexual crosses as a mendelian character.     

Conditions that affect binding of DNA by cultured plant cells and protoplasts: An autoradiographic analysis

Summary The binding of the¹⁴C-labelledSalmonella typhimurium DNA or³H-labelled soybean SB-1 DNA to cultured soybean cells (Glycine max L. Merr.) (SB-1) could be increased at least 100-fold by choosing the proper incubation conditions. The uptake of DNA by cells could completely be inhibited by the addition of an excess of unlabelled thymidine, indicating that the observed uptake of DNA by cells most probably is simply uptake of DNA degradation products. Autoradiograms, prepared from SB-1 protoplasts that were previously incubated with DNA, showed that the DNA was not associated with the protoplasts, but only with aggregates of cell wall material contaminating the protoplast preparation. When protoplasts and DNA were incubated in the presence of DEAE-dextran, the amount of DNAse resistant radioactivity increased 40 times. Again, the autoradiograms showed that most if not all DNAse-resistant material was associated with cell wall materials. Our observation that it is cell wall contaminants in protoplast preparations which account for most of the DNA binding demonstrates the need for caution in interpreting experiments on the binding and uptake of DNA by plant protoplasts.NRCC No. 16353.     

Study of the adaptation resistance in bacteria to membrane active polypeptide antibiotics

Variants of Micrococcus lysodeikticus resistant to 100 micrograms/ml of gramicidin S with preserved resistance in subcultures on media without the antibiotic were isolated as a result of prolonged adaptation on a solid medium with increasing concentrations of gramicidin. The sensitive and resistant cells did not differ by their ability to bind gramicidin. Under the antibiotic effect permeability of the cytoplasmic membranes of the intact cells in the sensitive bacteria appeared to be impaired to a greater extent than that of the membranes of the cells in the resistant variant. Comparison of the lytic activity of gramicidin and its derivatives with respect to the protoplasts prepared with the cells of the initial and resistant variants of M. lysodeikticus revealed much higher resistance of the resistant variant protoplasts to the membrane-disorganizing effect of the preparations. Malate dehydrogenase and NADH-oxidase in the membrane preparations of the resistant variant cells differed from analogous enzymes from the membranes of the initial strain by the levels of their activity and sensitivity to gramicidin. It is likely that during adaptation of M. lysodeikticus to gramicidin significant changes in the cell cytoplasmic membranes occurred.     

An improved approach for transformation of plant cells by microinjection: molecular and genetic analysis

A new culture method for the injection of tobacco mesophyll protoplasts has been established. The protoplasts are embedded in a thin layer of alginate and are nourished from the medium in the underlying basislayer. In the alginate layer the protoplasts regenerate to calli at a frequency of up to 80%. Embedded protoplasts can be selected either with 50 mg l⁻¹ kanamycin or 5 mg l⁻¹ paromomycin. Single resistant cells can be recovered from about 10 000 sensitive cells in one alginate layer. Injection of theneo gene (coding for neomycin phosphotransferase II) into protoplast derived single cells in the alginate layer results in kanamycin resistant colonies that can be regenerated to mature plants. These plants express the neomycin phosphotransferase as shown by enzyme activity assay. The integration of the transgene into the plant genome could be proved by Southern hybridization to high molecular weight DNA. With this culture method 100 cells can be injected per hour. Transformation frequencies range from 2 to 20%. In crossing experiments, it was shown that the foreign gene is transmitted to the next generation in a Mendelian fashion.     

Action of streptolysin S, the group D hemolysin, and phospholipase C on whole cells and spheroplasts

Davie, Joseph M. (Indiana University, Bloomington), and Thomas D. Brock. Action of streptolysin S, the group D hemolysin, and phospholipase C on whole cells and spheroplasts. J. Bacteriol. 91:595-600. 1966.-The effect of streptolysin S, the group D hemolysin, and phospholipase C (the alpha toxin of Clostridium perfringens) on whole cells and spheroplasts or protoplasts of three strains of streptococci and Micrococcus lysodeikticus was tested. Viability, C(14)-glycine uptake, and lysis were measured. The group D hemolysin and phospholipase C were active against whole bacteria; streptolysin S was not. All three substances were active on spheroplasts. A partially resistant mutant derived from a strain sensitive to the group D hemolysin was also partially resistant to streptolysin S and phospholipase C. Antimycin A protected spheroplasts from streptolysin S but not from the group D hemolysin.     

Reduced plasma membrane permeability in a multiple cross-resistant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Single nuclear gene inheritance was shown to be responsible for increased resistance to: eight diverse inhibitors of mitochondrial function (antimycin, carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, chloramphenicol, oligomycin, tetracycline, triethyltin bromide, triphenylmethylphosphonium bromide and triton-X-165); and an inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis (cycloheximide). Continuous monitoring of oxygen uptake during respiratory adaptation showed that anerobic pretreatment of resistant cells sensitized respiratory adaptation to chloramphenicol and antimycin. However, since a depression of mitochondrial function by catabolite repression did not result in sensitization to antimycin, alteration of the mitochondrial membrane does not appear to be responsible for resistance to mitochondrial inhibition. Alteration of cellular binding sites was not responsible for resistance since in vitro mitochondrial protein synthesis was sensitive to chloramphenicol and in vitro mitochondrial respiration was sensitive to oligomycin, carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and antimycin. Autoradiography of an ethylacetate-ethanol extract of [14C]chloramphenicol-treated resistant cells indicated that resistance was not due to enzymatic modification of inhibitors. The maintenance of an antimycin-resistant respiration by protoplasts of resistant cells ruled out the involvement of the cell wall in cellular resistance. The reduced transport of [14C]chloramphenicol by resistant cells (1% of normal cells) indicated that a single nuclear gene mutation can alter the permeability of the plasma membrane to many diverse inhibitors.     

Antimicrobial Actions of Hexachlorophene: Lysis and Fixation of Bacterial Protoplasts

Hexachlorophene was found to be both a lytic and a fixative agent for protoplasts isolated from Bacillus megaterium. Concentrations of 50 to 100 mug of drug per mg of original cell dry weight were required to lyse 4.4 x 10(9) protoplasts (2 mg of original cell dry weight). At higher drug concentrations, protoplasts became fixed against osmotic stress and reduced in sensitivity to disruption by n-butanol. Lower drug concentrations caused proportionate lysis in the protoplast population. Intact cells lost the ability to become plasmolyzed at these same hexachlorophene concentrations. Nonplasmolyzed, drug-treated cells were resistant to the action of lysozyme, whereas plasmolyzed, drug-treated cells were sensitive. But the sensitivity of isolated cell walls to lysozyme digestion was not markedly altered by hexachlorophene treatment. These effects appeared to be secondary in the killing of cells by hexachlorophene because they occurred at concentrations higher than the minimum lethal concentration.     

Responses of cells and protoplasts of Coffea arabica genotypes to partially purified culture filtrates produced by Colletotrichum kahawae

Hypocotyl-derived calli of genotypes and segregating populations of Coffea arabica, differing in susceptibility to Colletotrichum kahawae, were used to produce cell suspensions and protoplasts which were exposed to partially purified culture filtrates (PPCFs) prepared from the pathogen. The growth and viability of PPCF-treated cells and protoplasts were measured using packed cell volume, fluorescein diacetate staining and a colorimetric assay involving the tetrazolium salt MTT. Differential responses of cells and protoplasts were influenced by genotype, time of exposure and PPCF concentration. Protoplasts of resistant genotypes responded differentially from more susceptible genotypes as early as 4 h after challenge with the phytotoxin, suggesting that they were more sensitive than cell suspensions to the treatments. Protoplasts exposed to PPCFs from C. kahawae may therefore be used to screen and select genotypes resistant to, or tolerant of, coffee berry disease. Received: 10 April 1996 / Revision received: 25 August 1996 / Accepted: 15 September 1996     

Internalisation of cell-penetrating peptides into tobacco protoplasts

Cells are protected from the surrounding environment by plasma membrane which is impenetrable for most hydrophilic molecules. In the last 10 years cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been discovered and developed. CPPs enter mammalian cells and carry cargo molecules over the plasma membrane with a molecular weight several times their own. Known transformation methods for plant cells have relatively low efficiency and require improvement. The possibility to use CPPs as potential delivery vectors for internalisation in plant cells has been studied in the present work. We analyse and compare the uptake of the fluorescein-labeled CPPs, transportan, TP10, penetratin and pVEC in Bowes human melanoma cells and Nicotiana tabacum cultivar (cv.) SR-1 protoplasts (plant cells without cell wall). We study the internalisation efficiency of CPPs with fluorescence microscopy, spectrofluorometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). All methods indicate, for the first time, that these CPPs can internalise into N. tabacum cv. SR-1 protoplasts. Transportan has the highest uptake efficacy among the studied peptides, both in mammalian cells and plant protoplast. The internalisation of CPPs by plant protoplasts may open up a new effective method for transfection in plants.     

Expression of Mutant Dynamin Protects Cells against Diphtheria Toxin but Not against Ricin

Diphtheria toxin is believed to enter sensitive mammalian cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis from clathrin-coated pits, while ricin can enter via both clathrin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytosis. The present study has confirmed this by determining the toxin sensitivity of COS-7y cells which were transiently overexpressing atransdominant negative mutant of dynamin, a GTPase required for the budding of clathrin-coated vesicles from the plasma membrane. Cells overexpressing wild-type dynamin showed normal receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin and remained sensitive to both diphtheria toxin and ricin. Cells overexpressing a mutant dynamin defective in GTP binding and hydrolysis were unable to endocytose transferrin and were protected against diphtheria toxin, but they remained completely sensitive to ricin intoxication. Treating nontransfected cells or cells overexpressing mutant dynamin with nystatin caused a redistribution of the caveolae membrane marker protein VIP21-caveolin from the cell surface to intracellular locations, but did not affect their sensitivity to ricin. The redistribution of caveolin seen after nystatin treatment may reflect the disappearance of caveolae. If this is the case, caveolae are not responsible for the endocytosis of ricin. An alternative clathrin-independent route may operate for ricin, since cellular uptake, intracellular transport, and translocation into the cytosol remain unaffected when clathrin-dependent endocytosis is effectively blocked.     

Effects of sterol alterations on nystatin sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A systematic study of the qualitative and quantitative effects of sterol on nystatin sensitivity has been made in a single organism. The use of a sterol auxotroph of Saccharomyces cerevisiae offered a convenient way to control the sterol content of the yeast cell. There was a correlation between the ergosterol content of the cell and sensitivity to nystatin, as monitored by both potassium leakage from the cell and viability. When the sterol auxotroph contained high levels of ergosterol, the cells were sensitive to the effects of nystatin. When the ergosterol content was low or when ergosterol was replaced by cholesterol or cholestanol, sensitivity to nystatin was markedly decreased. Although resistant to nystatin, cholestanol enriched cells showed an enhanced background of potassium ion loss.     

Comparison of cell wall regeneration on maize protoplasts isolated from leaf tissue and suspension cultured cells

Summary The cell wall regeneration on protoplasts derived from maize mesophyll cells was compared with wall regeneration on protoplasts derived from suspension cultured cells using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry. The time course of cell wall regeneration has shown that the mesophyll protoplasts regenerated walls much slower than the protoplasts derived from cultured cells. Moreover, cell wall materials on the mesophyll protoplasts were often unevenly distributed. Electron microscopy has further demonstrated that the mesophyll protoplasts have less organized and compact walls than the protoplasts from cultured cells. Chemical analysis revealed that the mesophyll protoplasts had a lower ratio ofβ-(1–3)-glucan toβ-(1–4)-glucan than protoplasts from cultured cells. The significance of these results for the viability and development of protoplasts in culture is discussed. National Research Council of Canada paper no. 32458.     

Inherent resistance of HeLa cell derivatives to paromomycin

Summary The human tumor-derived cell line HeLa S3 and nuclear and mitochondrial gene mutants derived from it are resistant to the aminoglycoside antibiotic, paromomycin (PAR). Other carcinoma-derived cells, SV40-transformed cells, and four human diploid fibroblast cell lines are all sensitive to PAR. Sensitivity is dependent on cell density, and at cell numbers greater than 400/cm² sensitive cells will proliferate in PAR. The resistance to PAR is inherited in a dominant manner in cell-to-cell fusion hybrids, but is not transferred in cytoplast-to-cell fusions. PAR resistance is therefore encoded by a nuclear gene(s). Resistance to PAR is not caused by changes in the response to mitochondrial or cytoplasmic protein synthesis to PAR in vitro. The uptake of PAR is similar in resistant and sensitive cells, and dimethyl sulfoxide does not render resistant cells more sensitive. Thus, HeLa cell PAR resistance is unlike previously reported ribosomal mutations and may derive from differences in the intracellular metabolism of PAR. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant number AG 02664, University of South Carolina Biomedical Research Support grant number S07 RR7160, and by a grant from the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation, all to C. L. B.     

Cellular resistance to vinblastine is associated with altered respiratory function

Human leukaemic T lymphoblasts made resistant to low levels (20-40 ng/ml) of vinblastine have altered respiratory capacity. Cellular oxygen uptake was greater in resistant cells compared with sensitive cells, and vinblastine (40 ng/ml) caused immediate inhibition of oxygen uptake in sensitive cells, but not in resistant cells. Isolated mitochondria reflected the changes observed in the intact cells. Rates of oxidation of cytochrome c, succinate and glutamine were higher in mitochondria from resistant cells and were little affected by challenge with vinblastine, whereas vinblastine at 40 ng/ml was completely inhibitory for sensitive cell mitochondria. Azide inhibited vinblastine efflux from sensitive and resistant cells in both the presence and absence of glucose. Levels of protein, total lipid, free cholesterol and cardiolipin were elevated in vinblastine-resistant lymphoblasts.     

Callus production from photoautotrophic soybean cell culture protoplasts

Summary Protoplasts were prepared from a photoautotrophic (PA) cell line of Glycine max (soybean). A yield of 75 to 90% after two to three hours digestion in a mixture of 1% Cellulase R10, 0.2% Pectolyase Y23 and 2% Driselase was obtained. Cell division and colony formation occurred from approximately 18% of the plated protoplasts. The cultured protoplasts were as sensitive to the herbicide atrazine, a photosynthetic inhibitor, as the original PA cells under the same conditions. Protoplasts and cells of a heterotrophic (HT) soybean culture were not as sensitive to atrazine. The isolated protoplasts retained the PA characteristics of the parental culture in the callus and cell suspension cultures obtained from the protoplasts. The chromosome numbers in the parental cell line and in cells derived from the isolated protoplasts (both PA and HT) were found to be largely (99%) the normal diploid number of 40.Abbreviations BA Benzylaminopurine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - HT Heterotrophic - MES 2-(morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid - NAA Naphthaleneacetic acid - PA Photoautotrophic - PCM Protoplast culture medium     

产紫杉醇菌株原生质体诱变育种的研究

对紫杉醇产生菌NCEU-1的原生质体进行了紫外线和氯化锂复合诱变,筛选制霉菌素抗性突变株,共筛选出了4株正突变株。经发酵筛选试验,获得了一株遗传性状稳定、高产紫杉醇的原生质体诱变菌株——UL_04-5,其紫杉醇产量从出发菌株的314.07μg/L提高至418.24μg/L。