Isolation of ribosomal RNA precursors from Physarum polycephalum

Ribosomal RNA synthesis in Physarum polycephalum was studied by labeling intact microplasmodia with [³H]uridine. Labeled, high-molecular-weight RNA species were found in a 30,000 S structure released by phenol extraction at room temperature. RNA was released from the structure by further phenol extraction at 65–70 °C. If the labeling period was 15 min or longer, the labeled RNA was seen by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be of two major types, a heterodisperse collection of 45-35 S molecules and a 26 S species. If the labeling was carried out for 30 min in the presence of cycloheximide, the major labeled species had an electrophoretic mobility corresponding to 40 S. Studies of the labeling kinetics, methylation, and base composition of these RNA molecules indicate that they are precursors to ribosomal RNA. The molecular weights of the homogeneous 40 and 26 S precursors are 3.0 × 10⁶ and 1.45 × 10⁶ daltons, respectively, in comparison with molecular weights of 1.29 × 10⁶ and 0.68 × 10⁶ daltons for the completed ribosomal RNA's.     

Isolation of germ-cell precursors from human ovary tissue

This article describes the isolation of germ-cell precursors from human ovary tissues collected during various gynecological operations. Two cell cultures were established from tunica albuginea tissue. These cells were assayed by immunocytochemical and histological staining and PCR. The study confirms the presence of precursor cells in ovaries of reproductive age women.     

Isolation of microbodies from plant tissues

Specialized microbodies have previously been isolated and characterized from fatty seedling tissues (glyoxysomes) and leaves (leaf peroxisomes). We have now examined 11 other plant tissues, including tubers, fruits, roots, shoots, and petals, and find that all contain particulate catalase, a distinctive common enzyme component of microbodies. On linear sucrose gradients the catalase activity peaks sharply at a higher equilibrium density (1.20 to 1.25 gram per cm³ in the various tissues) than the mitochondria (1.17 to 1.20). Only small amounts of protein are recovered in the fractions containing catalase, although a definite band is visible in preparations from some tissues, e.g., potato. As in the preparations from castor bean endosperm and spinach leaves for which comparable data are provided, the distribution of glycolate oxidase and uricase follows closely that of catalase on the gradients. The preparations from potato lack glyoxylate reductase and the transaminases, typical enzymes of leaf peroxisomes, and the distinctive enzymes of glyoxysomes are missing. Nonspecialized microbodies with limited enzyme composition can thus be isolated from a variety of plant tissues.     

Isolation of gibberellin A8-glucoside from shoot apices of Althaea rosea

Summary Gibberellin A₈-glucoside has been isolated from shoot apices of Althaea rosea. It showed a weak growth-promoting activity on rice seedlings and oat mesocotyl sections but did not induce germination of lettuce seeds in darkness.     

Isolation of lipid activated pseudomurein precursors from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

From cell extracts of the pseudomurein possessing methanogen Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum two putative pseudomurein precursors were isolated and characterized: (1) an undecaprenyl pyrophosphate activated disaccharide pentapeptide composed of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetyltalosaminuronic acid, alanine, glutamic acid and lysine in a molar ratio of 1:1:2:2:1 and (2) the corresponding undecaprenyl pyrophosphate activated tetrapeptide lacking one alanine residue. The isolation of these precursors show that the biosynthesis of the eubacterial murein and the methano-bacterial pseudomurein differs not only in the cytoplasmic step, as recently described, but also in the lipid stage.Abbreviations GlcNitol glucosaminitol - NAcTalNUA N-acetyltalosaminuronic acid - Udp undecaprenol - TLC thin layer chromatography     

Isolation and characterisation of cell wall polymers from the heavily lignified tissues of olive (Olea europaea) seed hull

Cell wall material (CWM) was prepared from olive seed hull, which is heavily lignified and very tough. The material was cryomilled and delignified with chlorite/acetic acid for 9 h to give the holocellulose. Polymers were solubilised from the holocellulose by sequential extraction with cyclohexane-trans-1,2-diamine-NNN'N'-tetra-acetate (CDTA, Na salt), DMSO, 0.5, 1 and 4 KOH and 4 KOH + borate to leave the -cellulose residue. The suspension of -cellulose on neutralisation released a small amount of pectic material virtually free of xylan to give '-cellulose. The polymers from the various extracts were fractionated by graded precipitation with ethanol prior to anion-exchange chromatography, and selected fractions were subjected to methylation analysis. During delignification, glucuronoxylans with relatively low degrees of polymerisation (DP) and xylan-pectic polysaccharide complexes linked to degraded lignin were solubilised. A proportion of the xylan-pectic polysaccharide complexes were solubilised by 0.5 KOH. The major hemicellulosic polysaccharides of the olive seed hulls are glucuronoxylans, which occur as highly branched short chains, with DP of 30–60; or slightly branched chains with DP of 90–110. Partial acid hydrolysis of the major acidic xylan, gel-filtration chromatography and methylation analysis allowed us to propose a tentative structure for the major glucuronoxylan in which one residue of GlcpA occurs in each 14 continuously linked Xylp residues in a regular structure.     

Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid from mammalian tissues

1. DNA has been isolated from different mammalian tissues. The DNA preparations were free from RNA, protein and polysaccharides and have a similar range of sedimentation coefficients (approx. 24s). 2. Protein was removed by a two-stage extraction with a phenol-cresol mixture by using a detergent with 4-aminosalicylate in the first stage and sodium chloride in the second. 3. Polysaccharides remained in solution when DNA was precipitated with 2-butoxyethanol in the presence of 0.5m-sodium chloride and 1.5m-sodium benzoate. 4. Ribosomal RNA was removed by precipitation in the presence of 3m-sodium chloride at 0 degrees , when DNA remained soluble.     

Isolation of endothelial cells from fresh tissues

Here, we present a protocol for the isolation of endothelial cells (ECs) from tissues. ECs make up a minor population of cells in a tissue, but play a major role in tissue homeostasis, as well as in diverse pathologies. To understand the biology of ECs, characterization of this cell population is highly desirable, but requires the availability of purified cells. For this purpose, tissues are mechanically minced and subsequently digested enzymatically with collagenase and dispase. ECs in the resulting single-cell suspension are labeled with Abs against EC surface antigens and separated from the remainder of the cells and debris by capture with magnetic beads or by high-speed cell sorting. Purified ECs are viable and suitable for characterization of diverse cellular properties. This protocol is optimized for human tissues but can also be adapted for use with other species. Depending on the tissue, the procedure can be completed in approximately 6 h.     

Isolation of fat cell precursors from adult rat adipose tissue

Summary The possible existence of adipocyte precursors in adult rat adipose tissue was investigated. Cells were isolated from the stromal fraction of adipose tissue and were grown in culture. Skin fibroblasts were used as controls. The stromal fraction cells were initially fusiform and proliferated; in culture, they accumulated lipid inclusions, became rounder and acquired an eccentric nucleus. In contrast, the skin fibroblasts from the same rat and grown under identical culture conditions, did not exhibit any appreciable lipid accumulation. The doubling time for both the stromal fraction cells and skin fibroblasts was 40–60 h. At confluency, the stromal fraction cells contained 5–7 times more glyceride-glycerol than skin fibroblasts.Thus, adipose tissue of adult rats contains cells with the potential to proliferate and acquire morphological characteristics similar to those of adipocytes.This work was supported by The Medical Research Council of Canada Grant MA-5827, The Ontario Heart Foundation, The Atkinson Charitable Foundation, The Banting Research Foundation and The J.P. Bickell Foundation     

Isolation and characterization of circumferential microfilament bundles from retinal pigmented epithelial cells

Chicken retinal pigmented epithelial cells have circumferential microfilament bundles (CMBs) at the zonula adherens region. We have isolated these CMBs in intact form and characterized them structurally and biochemically. Pigmented epithelia obtained from 11-d-old chick embryos were treated with glycerol and Triton. Then, the epithelia were homogenized by passing them through syringe needles. Many isolated CMBs were found in the homogenate by phase-contrast microscopy. They formed polygons, mostly pentagons and hexagons, or fragments of polygons. Polygons were filled with meshwork structures, i.e. they were polygonal plates. Upon exposure to Mg-ATP, isolated CMBs showed clear and large contraction. The contraction was inhibited by treatment with N- ethylmaleimide-modified myosin subfragment-1. After purification by centrifugation with the density gradient of Percoll, CMBs were analyzed by SDS PAGE. The electrophoretic pattern gave three major components of 200, 55, and 42 kdaltons and several minor components. Electron microscopy showed that the polygons were composed of thick bundles of actin-containing microfilaments, and the meshworks were composed primarily of intermediate filaments.     

Isolation and analysis of ribonucleic acids from skeletal tissues

We report a method for the isolation of total cellular RNA from mineralized or cartilaginous tissues. The procedure accommodates the large amount of hydroxyapatite and high buoyant density proteoglycans present in skeletal tissue samples, as well as the low cell density characteristic of these tissues. The procedure can be reliably used for processing a large number of small (100-800 mg) tissue samples. Tissues are homogenized in guanidine hydrochloride solution, then centrifuged at low speed, and filtered to remove the nonsolubilized extracellular matrix proteins. Subsequent high speed density gradient centrifugation produces a high yield of RNA (0.2-0.6 micrograms RNA/mg tissue) which is precipitated in a low pH sodium acetate solution. RNA extracted by this method has been analyzed for the expression of various genes by Northern blotting. In addition to mRNAs of bone- and cartilage-specific proteins, messenger RNA for growth factors, proto-oncogenes, and heat shock proteins can be detected.     

Isolation of intact plastids from a range of plant tissues

A technique for the isolation of intact plastids from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and pea (Pisum sativum) leaves, pea roots and castor bean (Ricinus communis) endosperm is described. This technique involves brief centrifugation of whole homogenates on density gradients. Intact plastids were located in the gradient by assaying for triose phosphate isomerase activity. Contamination of the plastic peak with mitochondria and microbodies was estimated by measurement of cytochrome oxidase and catalase, respectively. For three of the four tissues the level of contamination of the plastids by these organelles was 2% or less. The sedimentation behavior of microbodies from different tissues is discussed.     

Isolation of bacteria of the family enterobacteriaceae from plant tissues

Bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from the tissues of a number of wild and cultivated plants. All the cultures isolated had a broad spectrum of resistance to antibiotics and were highly adhesive to human erythrocytes. The studies conducted indicate the possibility of concentration of microorganisms pathogenic for humans in plant tissues.     

Methods for the quantitation of abscisic acid and its precursors from plant tissues

Methods are given for the quantitation of the plant stress hormone, abscisic acid (ABA), and its two metabolic precursors, ketone and enolate, that are applicable to all species tested so far. The plant extract is homogenized at neutral pH, hexane-soluble neutrals are extracted and discarded, and then the free ABA and other organic acids are extracted as ion pairs. The remaining aqueous phase is acidified, allowed to stand, neutralized, and extracted to give the ABA ex ketone fraction and then the aqueous phase is treated with base and again extracted to give the ABA ex enolate fraction. Each of these three fractions, free ABA, ABA ex ketone, and ABA ex enolate, along with a deuteriated internal standard, [side-chain-(2)H(4)]ABA, is then derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide and purified on an automated sample preparation system. The resulting pentafluorobenzyl abscisate samples are then quantified using electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry with methane as the reagent gas. Using these procedures free ABA, and ABA from its precursors, can be quantified at the level of 100 fg on column. If a large volume injector is used so that the total sample is injected it should be possible to quantify ABA and its precursors in the parts per billion range on a few milligrams of plant tissue.