Analysis of zeins' ER retention in Xenopus oocytes

Zeins, maize storage proteins, are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during the intracellular protein targeting process. Hydrophobic interaction has been postulated as the driving force of zeins' aggregation and retention in the ER. Recently, a class of zein (the 27K zein) has been proposed to facilitate zeins' ER retention by anchoring to the ER membrane. This study investigated the significance of the two proposed mechanisms toward zeins' ER retention using Xenopus oocyte. Following injection of the total or 27K zein mRNA, zein's movement within the ER was analyzed based upon the extent of diffusion to the non-injected oocyte half. This study indicates that the total zeins freely move within the lumen of the ER, thus, suggesting that the intermolecular aggregation, leading to insolubility and exclusion from the ER lumenal fluid, may not be essential for zeins' ER retention. This study also suggests that the 27K zein may not facilitate zeins' ER retention by virtue of an anchor to the ER membrane based on its free movement in the ER. Free movement of the total and 27K zeins, under conditions where zein aggregates should form, necessitates a reevaluation of the mechanisms responsible for zein polypeptides' ER retention and protein body formation.     

Deleterious effect of minimal enzymatic treatments on the development of isolated maize embryo sacs in culture

The long-term viability of isolated embryo sacs was studied in maize. Fertilised embryo sacs were digested in order to remove most of the nucellus cells present on their surfaces and then transferred to culture. Experiments on 161 embryo sacs showed that isolation treatments using even minimal enzymatic digestion affected the further development of the embryo sacs. Few embryo sacs survived in culture and those produced only abnormal embryos; they produced no plants. We concluded that embryo sacs isolated through enzymatic digestion may offer limited prospects for long-term studies where normal embryogenic development is required. Alternative strategies are discussed for maize.     

DNA-induced endocytosis upon local microinjection to giant unilamellar cationic vesicles

We suggest a novel approach for direct optical microscopy observation of DNA interaction with the bilayers of giant cationic liposomes. Giant unilamellar vesicles, about 100 μm in diameter, made of phosphatidylcholines and up to 33 mol% of the natural bioactive cationic amphiphile sphingosine, were obtained by electroformation. “Short” DNAs (oligonucleotide 21b and calf thymus 250 bp) were locally injected by micropipette to a part of the giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV) membrane. DNAs were injected native, as well as marked with a fluorescent dye. The resulting membrane topology transformations were monitored in phase contrast, while DNA distribution was followed in fluorescence. We observed DNA-induced endocytosis due to the DNA/lipid membrane local interactions and complex formation. A characteristic minimum concentration (C _endo) of d-erythro-sphingosine (Sph⁺) in the GUV membrane was necessary for the endocytic phenomenon to occur. Below C _endo, only lateral adhesions between neighboring vesicles were observed upon DNA local addition. C _endo depends on the type of zwitterionic (phosphocholine) lipid used, being about 10 mol% for DPhPC/Sph⁺ GUVs and about 20 mol% for SOPC/Sph⁺ or eggPC/Sph⁺ GUVs. The characteristic sizes and shapes of the resulting endosomes depend on the kind of DNA, and initial GUV membrane tension. When the fluorescent DNA marker dye was injected after the DNA/lipid local interaction and complex formation, no fluorescence was detected. This observation could be explained if one assumes that the DNA is protected by lipids in the DNA/lipid complex, thereby inaccessible for the dye molecules. We suggest a possible mechanism for DNA/lipid membrane interaction involving DNA encapsulation within an inverted micelle included in the lipid membrane. Our model observations could help in understanding events associated with the interaction of DNA with biological membranes, as well as cationic liposomes/DNA complex formation in gene transfer processes. Received: 18 April 1998 / Revised version: 6 August 1998 / Accepted: 7 August 1998     

Axonal and dendritic transport in Purkinje cells of cerebellar slice cultures studied by microinjection of horseradish peroxidase

Axonal and dendritic transport in single Purkinje neurons of cerebellar slice cultures was quantified as single transport distances. Examination of the cells within a vital tissue was regarded as being an approach to the in situ condition. The Purkinje cells were organotypically integrated in the in vitro tissues and extended long axonal projections connecting synapses to the target neurons. The tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was applied via microinjection to the somata of the Purkinje cells and the injected neurons were incubated thereafter for defined time-intervals. The tracer was transported anterogradely into the neuron processes. The measurements on both the axonal and the dendritic transport of microinjected HRP revealed continuous transportation with increasing times of postincubation. This transport was reduced by the use of microtubule-depolymerizing drugs. The axonal transport of the tracer was either retarded in colchicine-treated cells or continuously reduced for up to 50% in vinblastine-treated neurons. Thus, a correlation of axonal transport to the microtubules was demonstrated. The dendrites were filled with the tracer after 60 min of postincubation. Dendritic transport was reduced by the use of vinblastine, and not significantly by colchicine. The results strongly support the dependence of neuronal transport on microtubules as a component of the cytoskeleton. Received: 26 April 1998 / Accepted: 18 August 1998     

Cleavage development of bovine oocytes fertilized by sperm injection

Whole in vitro capacitated bovine spermatozoa were microinjected directly into the ooplasm of in vitro matured bovine oocytes in order to determine whether oocytes fertilized by sperm injection could undergo normal pronuclear formation and cleavage development. Immature oocytes recovered from follicles (2-5 mm) of unstimulated ovaries were cultured for 24-25 h in modified TCM 199 medium supplemented with heat-treated day 20 cow serum, luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol 17-B. In vitro capacitated, frozen-thawed spermatozoa were injected into the ooplasm, and the injected oocytes were cultured for an additional 24-28 h. Twenty-one percent (21/101) of the sperm-injected oocytes contained a sperm within the ooplasm; however, only 2% (2/101) cleaved. The remaining oocytes either did not contain a sperm or had degenerated. After oocyte activation induced by a 5 min incubation in 1 microM A23187, sperm nuclear decondensation occurred in the A23187-activated, injected oocytes but not in the unactivated, injected controls (37% vs. 0% after 3 h). Those injected, activated oocytes that contained a male pronucleus also exhibited a female pronucleus and second polar body. Furthermore, a significantly higher number (28%, 6/21) of the injected, activated oocytes cleaved to a two- to four-cell stage after 48 h than did the injected, unactivated oocytes (4%). These results indicate that, unlike hamster and rabbit oocytes, bovine oocytes are not sufficiently stimulated by the injection procedure to complete meiosis, but, upon activation by calcium ionophore, they will undergo normal-appearing cleavage development following fertilization by sperm injection.     

TNNI2突变转基因小鼠模型的建立

目的建立TNNI2突变转基因小鼠模型。方法构建pEGFP-tnni2转基因构件,TNNI2基因的第175个氨基酸缺失,通过原核显微注射法。把线性化、纯化后的外源基因pEGFP-tnni2注射入BDF1小鼠受精卵中。胚胎移植给同期发情的假孕受体母鼠,获得子代小鼠。用PCR和Southern方法检测子代鼠尾DNA鉴定基因型。通过RT-PCR方法检测tnni2基因表达。结果移植注射胚胎115枚给4只假孕小鼠共出生了23只后代鼠。经PCR和Southern方法检测得到4只阳性小鼠。对其子代进行RT-PCR检测,tnni2基因在肌肉、心脏内表达。结论通过显微注射法使外源基因pEGFP-tnni2（TNNI2基因的第175个氨基酸缺失）在小鼠基因组中得到整合,建立了转pEGFP-tnni2的转基因小鼠模型。     

Unstable visible mutations induced in Drosophila melanogaster by injections of oncogenic virus DNA into the polar plasm of early embryos

Summary When RSV DNA cloned in pBR 322 or DNA of simian adenovirus Sa7 (C8) is injected into the pole plasm of embryos of various Drosophila stocks, the progeny of 1–70% of the surviving flies display visible mutations. The mutagenesis is partially directed: the loci mutating due to retrovirus and adenovirus DNA do not everlap. The majority of resulting mutants are characterised by high instability: reversions and new mutations occur in them, which sometimes spread over the whole population(explosive instability). The injected sequences are revealed by dot-hybridization in the DNA of many mutant strains, but only rarely by Southern blotting procedures. The results show that the microinjection of oncovirus DNA into embryos is an approach for obtaining highly unstable strains even from wildtype stable Drosophila stocks without crosses with MR lines or the introduction of P elements. The sets of unstable mutations induced by oncovirus DNA is different from those in hybrid dysgenesis.     

Micromanipulation and in vitro fertilization with single pollen grains of maize

Summary The manipulation of single pollen grains of maize was studied. The effects of delivering substances both locally to the grain wall, tube or tip by a microcapillary and directly into the pollen grain by microinjection, and single grain pollination were investigated. Germination was induced by adding small amounts of water locally to the grains with either a microcapillary or with a waterdelivering emulsion without any other ingredients in the medium. The grains were overlayered by mineral or silicone oil so that tube growth proceeded without the grains bursting. There was no apparent penetration of high-molecular-weight substances (FITC-dextran, ethidium bromide labelled DNA) into the living grain either before or after pollination. Neither could the penetration of these substances be detected in both dry, viable and hydrated grains, tubes and tube tips, with or without treatment with Triton X-100 and dimethyl sulfoxide. By microinjection, however, the delivery of high-molecular-weight substances into grains was possible. Such injected grains successfully pollinated stigmas of cultured ear segments. Pollination with pore-injected grains was most efficient (mean 26%). No difference in fertilization rates between mass pollination (mean 41%) and single grain pollination (mean 39%) could be found. A mean fertilization rate of 29% could be obtained after microinjection. Seedlings developed 3 weeks after being pollinated by means of the in vitro pollination and fertilization method.