Name: expression of transgenes in native bladder urothelium using adenovirus-mediated transduction
Uploaded: 2022-10-06T14:40:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Expression of Transgenes in Native Bladder Urothelium Using Adenovirus-Mediated Transduction at JoVE.com

This work was supported by a pilot project award through P30DK079307 (to M.G.D.), NIH grant R01DK119183 (to G.A. and M.D.C.), NIH grant R01DK129473 (to G.A.), an American Urology Association Career Development award and a Winters Foundation grant (to N.M.), by the Cell Physiology and Model Organisms Kidney Imaging Cores of the Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research (P30DK079307), and by S10OD028596 (to G.A.), which funded the purchase of the confocal system used to capture some of the images presented in this manuscript.

Experiments involving the generation of adenoviruses, which requires BSL2 certification, were performed under approval from the University of Pittsburgh Environmental Health and Safety offices and the Institutional Biosafety Committee. All animal experiments performed, including adenoviral transduction (which requires ABSL2 certification), were done in accordance with relevant guidelines/regulations of the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the Animal Welfare Act, and under the ...

<ol>
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G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+roles+for+PIEZO1+and+PIEZO2+in+urothelial+mechanotransduction+and+lower+urinary+tract+interoception.">Functional roles for PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 in urothelial mechanotransduction and lower urinary tract interoception.</a> Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight. 6 (19), 152984 (2021).</li><li>Montalbetti, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+urothelial+paracellular+transport+promotes+cystitis.">Increased urothelial paracellular transport promotes cystitis.</a> American Journal of Physiology: Renal Physiology. 309 (12), 1070-1081 (2015).</li><li>Keay, S. K., Birder, L. A., Chai, T. 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While Ramesh et al. were focused on developing strategies to use adenoviral transduction in the treatment of bladder cancer18, more recent reports have demonstrated the utility of these techniques in studying normal urothelial biology/physiology and pathophysiology10,18,19,20,21. The important features of this approach include the follo...

The urothelium is the specialized epithelium that lines the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and proximal urethra1. It comprises three strata: a layer of highly differentiated and polarized often bi-nucleate umbrella cells, whose apical surfaces are bathed in urine; an intermediate cell layer with a population of bi-nucleate transit-amplifying cells that can give rise to superficial umbrella cells in response to their acute loss; and a single layer of basal cells, a subset of which function as stem cells that can regenerate the entirety of the urothelium in response to chronic injury. Umbrella cells are chiefly responsible for forming the high-resistance urothelial barrier, components of which include an apical membrane (rich in cholesterol and cerebrosides) with low permeability to water and solutes, and a high-resistance apical junctional complex (comprised of tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, and an associated actomyosin ring)1. Both the apical surface of the umbrella cell and its junctional ring expand during bladder filling and return to their pre-filled state rapidly after voiding1,2,3,4,5. In addition to its role in barrier function, the urothelium is also hypothesized to have sensory and transducer functions that allow it to sense changes in the extracellular milieu (e.g., stretch) and transmit this information via release of mediators (including ATP, adenosine, and acetylcholine) to underlying tissues, including suburothelial afferent nerve processes6,7,8. Recent evidence of this role is found in mice lacking urothelial expression of both Piezo1 and Piezo2, which results in altered voiding function9. Additionally, rats overexpressing the tight-junction pore-forming protein CLDN2 in the umbrella cell layer develop inflammation and pain analogous to that seen in patients with interstitial cystitis10. It is hypothesized that disruption of urothelial sensory/transducer or barrier function may contribute to several bladder disorders6,11.
A better understanding of the biology of the urothelium in normal and disease states depends on the availability of tools that will allow investigators to readily downregulate endogenous gene expression or allow for the expression of transgenes in the native tissue. While one approach to downregulate gene expression is to generate conditional urothelial knockout mice, this approach depends on the availability of mice with floxed alleles, is labor intensive, and can take months to years to complete12. Not surprisingly then, investigators have developed techniques to transfect or transduce the urothelium, which can lead to results on a shorter time scale. Published methods for transfection include the use of cationic lipids13, anti-sense phosphorothioated oligodeoxynucleotides14, or antisense nucleic acids tethered to the HIV TAT protein penetrating 11-mer peptide15. However, the focus of this protocol is on the use of adenoviral-mediated transduction, a well-studied methodology that is efficient at gene delivery to a broad range of cells, has been tested in numerous clinical trials, and most recently was used to deliver the cDNA encoding the COVID-19 capsid protein to recipients of one variant of the COVID-19 vaccine16,17. For a more thorough description of the adenovirus life cycle, adenoviral vectors, and clinical applications of adenoviruses, the reader is directed to reference17.
An important milestone in the use of adenoviruses to transduce the urothelium, was a report by Ramesh et al. that showed short pretreatments with detergents, including N-dodecyl-&#946;-D-maltoside (DDM) dramatically enhanced transduction of the urothelium by an adenovirus encoding &#946;-galactosidase18. Using this proof-of-principle study as a guide, adenoviral-mediated transduction of the urothelium has now been used to express a variety of proteins, including Rab-family GTPases, guanine-nucleotide exchange factors, myosin motor fragments, pore-forming tight junction-associated claudins, and ADAM1710,19,20,21,22. The same approach was adapted to express small interfering RNAs (siRNA), the effects of which were rescued by co-expressing siRNA-resistant variants of the transgene22. The protocol described here includes general methods to generate large amounts of highly concentrated adenovirus, a requirement for these techniques, as well adaptations of the methods of Ramesh et al.18 to express transgenes in the urothelium with high efficiency.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>10 mL pipette</td>
			<td>Corning Costar (Millipore Sigma)</td>
			<td>CLS4488</td>
			<td>sterile, serological pipette, individually wrapped</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12 mL ultracentrifuge tube</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>06-752</td>
			<td>PET thinwall ultracentrifuge tube</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 mL conical centrifuge tube</td>
			<td>Falcon (Corning)</td>
			<td>352097</td>
			<td>sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>18 G needle</td>
			<td>BD&#160;</td>
			<td>305196</td>
			<td>18 G x 1.5 in needle</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20 mL pipette</td>
			<td>Corning Costar (Millipore Sigma)</td>
			<td>CLS4489</td>
			<td>sterile, serological pipette, individually wrapped</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL conical centrifuge tube</td>
			<td>Falcon (Corning)</td>
			<td>352098</td>
			<td>sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5 mL pipette</td>
			<td>Corning Costar (Millipore Sigma)</td>
			<td>CLS4487</td>
			<td>sterile, serological pipette, individually wrapped</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cavicide</td>
			<td>Henry Schein</td>
			<td>6400012</td>
			<td>Anti-viral solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell culture dish - 15 cm</td>
			<td>Falcon (Corning)</td>
			<td>353025</td>
			<td>sterile, tissue-culture treated&#160; (150 mm x 25 mm dish)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell scraper</td>
			<td>Sarstedt</td>
			<td>893.1832</td>
			<td>handle length 24 cm, blade length 1.7 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CsCl</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>C-4306</td>
			<td>Molecular Biology grade &#8805; 98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM culture medium (high glucose)</td>
			<td>Gibco (ThermoFisher)</td>
			<td>11965092</td>
			<td>with 4.5 g/L glucose + L-glutamine + phenol red</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>EDS</td>
			<td>Bioiultra grade &#8805; 99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum&#160;</td>
			<td>Hyclone (Cytiva)</td>
			<td>SH30070.03</td>
			<td>defined serum</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass pipette</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-678-20A</td>
			<td>5.75 in glass pipette, autoclaved</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycerol</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>G-5516</td>
			<td>Molecular Biology grade &#8805; 99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEK293 cells</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>CRL-3216</td>
			<td>HEK293T cells are a variant of HEK293 cells that express the SV40 large T-antigen</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isoflurane</td>
			<td>Covetrus</td>
			<td>29405</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IV catheter - mouse</td>
			<td>Smith Medical Jelco</td>
			<td>3063</td>
			<td>24 G x 3/4 in Safety IV catheter&#160; radiopaque</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IV catheter - rat</td>
			<td>Smith Medical Jelco</td>
			<td>3060</td>
			<td>22 G x 1 in Safety IV catheter radiopaque</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KCl</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>P-9541</td>
			<td>Molecular Biology grade &#8805; 99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KH2PO4</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>P5655</td>
			<td>Cell culture grade&#160; &#8805; 99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Na2HPO4&#8226;7 H2O</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>431478</td>
			<td>&#160;&#8805; 99.99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>S3014</td>
			<td>Molecular Biology grade &#8805; 99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-dodecyl-&#946;-D-maltoside&#160;</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>D4641</td>
			<td>&#160;&#8805; 98%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nose cone for multiple animals</td>
			<td>custom designed</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>commercial options include one from Parkland Scientific (RES3200)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PD-10 column&#160;</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare</td>
			<td>17-085-01</td>
			<td>Prepacked columns filled ith Sephadex G-25M</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin/streptomycin antibiotic (100x)</td>
			<td>Gibco (ThermoFisher)</td>
			<td>15070063</td>
			<td>100x concentrated solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td>Eppendorf&#160;</td>
			<td>BioPhotometer</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stand and clamp</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14-679Q and 05-769-8FQ</td>
			<td>available from numerous suppliers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile filter unit</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific (Nalgene)</td>
			<td>09-740-65B</td>
			<td>0.2 &#181;m rapid-flow filter unit (150 mL)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile filter unit 0.2 &#181;m (syringe)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific&#160;</td>
			<td>SLGV004SL</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma Milex 0.22 &#181;m filter unit that attaches to syringe</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Super speed centrifuge</td>
			<td>Eppendorf&#160;</td>
			<td>5810R</td>
			<td>with Eppendorf F34-6-38 fixed angle rotor (12,000 rpm)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe (1 mL)</td>
			<td>BD&#160;</td>
			<td>309628</td>
			<td>1-mL syringe Luer-lok tip - sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe (3 mL)</td>
			<td>BD&#160;</td>
			<td>309656</td>
			<td>3-mL syringe slip tip - sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Table-top centrifuge (low speed)</td>
			<td>Eppendorf&#160;</td>
			<td>5702</td>
			<td>with swinging bucket rotor</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Transfer pipettes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-711-9AM</td>
			<td>polyethylene 3.4 mL transfer pipette</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris-base</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>648310-M</td>
			<td>Molecular Biology grade&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TrypLE select protease solution</td>
			<td>Gibco (ThermoFisher)</td>
			<td>12604013</td>
			<td>TrypLE express enzyme (1x), no phenol red</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ultracentrifuge</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>Optima L-80 XP</td>
			<td>with Beckman SW41 rotor (41,000 rpm)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vaporizer&#160;</td>
			<td>General Anesthetic Services, Inc.</td>
			<td>Tec 3</td>
			<td>Isoflurane vaporizer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vortex Mixer</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>10153-838</td>
			<td>analog vortex mixer</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

expression of transgenes in native bladder urothelium using adenovirus-mediated transduction

In addition to forming a high-resistance barrier, the urothelium lining the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and proximal urethra is hypothesized to sense and transmit information about its environment to the underlying tissues, promoting voiding function and behavior. Disruption of the urothelial barrier, or its sensory/transducer function, can lead to disease. Studying these complex events is hampered by lack of simple strategies to alter gene and protein expression in the urothelium. Methods are described here that allow investigators to generate large amounts of high-titer adenovirus, which can then be used to transduce rodent urothelium with high efficiency, and in a relatively straightforward manner. Both cDNAs and small interfering RNAs can be expressed using adenoviral transduction, and the impact of transgene expression on urothelial function can be assessed 12 h to several days later. These methods have broad applicability to studies of normal and abnormal urothelial biology using mouse or rat animal models.

Virus preparation 
An example of virus purification by density gradient centrifugation is shown in Figure 1A. The light pink band, found at the interface of the loaded cellular material and the 1.25 g/mL CsCl layer, is primarily composed of disrupted cells and their debris (see magenta arrow in Figure 1A). It derives its pinkish color from the small amount of culture medium that is carried over from step 1.5 in the protocol. The virus parti...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Expression of Transgenes in Native Bladder Urothelium Using Adenovirus-Mediated Transduction at JoVE.com

Expression of Transgenes in Native Bladder Urothelium Using Adenovirus-Mediated Transduction

Methods are described for the generation of large amounts of recombinant adenoviruses, which can then be used to transduce the native rodent urothelium allowing for expression of transgenes or downregulation of endogenous gene products.

In addition to forming a high-resistance barrier, the urothelium lining the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, and proximal urethra is hypothesized to sense ...

This protocol describes methods that allow investigators to express CDNAs or SIRNAs in the native bladder urothelium. The main advantages of this technique are its relative simplicity, the ability to express cDNAs, siRNAs in the urothelium with high efficiency, and within a relatively short period of time. The hardest part of this technique is the catheterization.However, the overall technique is relatively easy to master once learned. Demonstrating the procedure will be Giovanni Ruiz, a Research Specialist IV in my laboratory. To begin place the anesthetized mouse on a heating pad next to the nose cones.Maintain the animal under anesthesia for the duration of the protocol. Confirm the mouse is completely anesthetized with a toe pinch. To prevent introducing air into the bladder, fill the plastic catheter portion of an IV catheter and associated hub with sterile PBS using a sterile transfer pipette or syringe.With the animal in the supine position swab the external urethral meatus with 70%alcohol. Then gently grab the tissue forming the external urethral meatus and extend it vertically away from the animal using fine forceps. Insert the sterile catheter into the external meatus.Using the other hand carefully insert the catheter vertically about three to four millimeters into the urethral meatus. Then lower the catheter inserted into the external meatus toward the animal's tail, which eases its entry into the portion of the urethra that passes below the pubic bone and ultimately into the bladder. Allow the urine in the bladder to leak out.Remove any residual urine by performing Crede's maneuver by massaging and gently pressing down on the bladder bump in the lower abdominal area. To make the urothelium receptive to transduction, wash the mouse or rat bladder by attaching a sterile one milliliter syringe filled with PBS to the catheter hub. Inject 100 microliters of sterile PBS into the mouse bladder.After detaching the syringe from the catheter fitting, allow the PBS to drain. Instill 100 microliters of 0.1%N-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside dissolved in PBS and 0.2 micrometer filter sterilized into the mouse bladder using a sterile one-milliliter syringe. Retain the N-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside in the bladder for 10 minutes by leaving the syringe in place.Remove the N-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside from the bladder by detaching the syringe and allowing it to drain out. To introduce the virus into the bladder attach a sterile one-milliliter syringe to the catheter hub and instill 5, 000, 000 to 100, 000, 000 IVP of adenovirus diluted in 100 microliters of sterile PBS for mice, or 450 microliters for rats into the bladder. After 30 minutes, detach the syringe and allow the virus solution to evacuate the bladder onto a disposable pad.Blot any residual virus solution with an absorbent wipe while discarding the pad and wipe in biohazardous waste. In order to allow the animal to recover, cease the flow of isoflurane. Allow the animal to recover and be fully mobile before returning it to its cage, particularly if the animals are group-housed.Analyze the effects of transgene expression 12 to 72 hours post-treatment using methods such as mRNA in situ hybridization, Western blot, or immunofluorescence. Western blot analysis of urothelial lysates revealed V5-tagged human growth hormone expression in the urothelium of transduced bladders, but not in untransduced ones. The expression was also confirmed by immunofluorescence using antibodies that recognized human growth hormone, or the V5 epitope tag.Western blot analysis confirmed the expression of Claudin-2 in rats transduced with adenovirus, but not in those transduced with a controlled GFP-encoding virus. Immunofluorescence analysis further confirmed exogenous Claudin-2 expression in urothelial umbrella cells transduced with virus-encoding Claudin-2 cDNA. Detection of exogenous Claudin-2 in Tight Junction Protein 1 by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy of whole mounted or cross-sectioned urothelium revealed the presence of Tight Junction and intracellular accumulations of Claudin-2 in the cell cytoplasm.The image field shows that counting the number of transduced umbrella cells reveals an efficiency that approaches 95%and in the entirety of the bladder wall only the urothelium is transduced, and no other tissue is targeted by the instilled adenovirus. The catheterization is critical for the protocol to work as intended. This technique allows investigators to study normal urothelial biology, as well as to understand conditions where protein overexpression, or underexpression, leads to disease.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Targeted Expression of GFP in the Hair Follicle Using Ex Vivo Viral Transduction

There are many cell types in the hair follicle, including hair matrix cells which form the hair shaft and stem cells which can initiate the hair shaft during early anagen, the growth phase of the hair cycle, as well as pluripotent stem cells that play a role in hair follicle growth but have the potential to differentiate to non-follicle cells such as neurons. These properties of the hair follicle are discussed. The various cell types of the hair follicle are potential targets for gene therapy. Gene delivery system for the hair follicle using viral vectors or liposomes for gene targeting to the various cell types in the hair follicle and the results obtained are also discussed.

The hair follicle is a highly complex appendage of the skin containing a multiplicity of cell types. The follicle undergoes constant cycling through the life of the organism including growth and resorption with growth dependent on specific stem cells. The targeting of the follicle by genes and stem cells to change its properties, in particular, the nature of the hair shaft is, discussed. Hair follicle delivery systems are described, such as liposomes and viral vectors for gene therapy. The nature of the hair follicle stem cells is discussed, in particular, its pluripotency.

There are many cell types in the hair follicle, including hair matrix cells which form the hair shaft and stem cells which can initiate the hair shaft ...

The Preparation of Primary Hematopoietic Cell Cultures From Murine Bone Marrow for Electroporation

It is becoming increasingly apparent that electroporation is the most effective way to introduce plasmid DNA or siRNA into primary cells. The Gene Pulser MXcell  electroporation system and Gene Pulser  electroporation buffer were specifically developed to transfect nucleic acids into mammalian cells and difficult-to-transfect cells, such as primary and stem cells.This video demonstrates how to establish primary hematopoietic cell cultures from murine bone marrow, and then prepare them for electroporation in the MXcell system. We begin by isolating femur and tibia. Bone marrow from both femur and tibia are then harvested and cultures are established. Cultured bone marrow cells are then transfected and analyzed.

This procedure describes how to establish primary hematopoietic cell cultures from murine bone marrow and is followed by transfection using the Gene Pulser MXCell electroporation system.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that electroporation is the most effective way to introduce plasmid DNA or siRNA into primary cells. The Gene Pulser ...

Detection of Protein Ubiquitination

Ubiquitination, the covalent attachment of the polypeptide ubiquitin to target proteins, is a key posttranslational modification carried out by a set of three enzymes. They include ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2, and ubiquitin ligase E3. Unlike to E1 and E2, E3 ubiquitin ligases display substrate specificity. On the other hand, numerous deubiquitylating enzymes have roles in processing polyubiquitinated proteins. Ubiquitination can result in change of protein stability, cellular localization, and biological activity. Mutations of genes involved in the ubiquitination/deubiquitination pathway or altered ubiquitin system function are associated with many different human diseases such as various types of cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. The detection of altered or normal ubiquitination of target proteins may provide a better understanding on the pathogenesis of these diseases. &nbsp;Here, we describe protocols to detect protein ubiquitination in cultured cells in vivo and test tubes in vitro. These protocols are also useful to detect other ubiquitin-like small molecule modification such as sumolyation and neddylation.

Ubiquitination is a key posttranslational modification carried out by a set of three enzymes. Mutations of genes involved in this modification are associated with many different human diseases. Here, we describe protocols to detect protein ubiquitination in cultured cells in vivo and test tubes in vitro.

Ubiquitination, the covalent attachment of the polypeptide ubiquitin to target proteins, is a key posttranslational modification carried out by a set of ...

Staining of Proteins in Gels with Coomassie G-250 without Organic Solvent and Acetic Acid

In classical protein staining protocols using Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB), solutions with high contents of toxic and flammable organic solvents (Methanol, Ethanol or 2-Propanol) and acetic acid are used for fixation, staining and destaining of proteins in a gel after SDS-PAGE. To speed up the procedure, heating the staining solution in the microwave oven for a short time is frequently used. This usually results in evaporation of toxic or hazardous Methanol, Ethanol or 2-Propanol and a strong smell of acetic acid in the lab which should be avoided due to safety considerations. In a protocol originally published in two patent applications by E.M. Wondrak (US2001046709 (A1), US6319720 (B1)), an alternative composition of the staining solution is described in which no organic solvent or acid is used. The CBB is dissolved in bidistilled water (60-80mg of CBB G-250 per liter) and 35 mM HCl is added as the only other compound in the staining solution. The CBB staning of the gel is done after SDS-PAGE and thorough washing of the gel in bidistilled water. By heating the gel during the washing and staining steps, the process can be finished faster and no toxic or hazardous compunds are evaporating. The staining of proteins occurs already within 1 minute after heating the gel in staining solution and is fully developed after 15-30 min with a slightly blue background that is destained completely by prolonged washing of the stained gel in bidistilled water, without affecting the stained protein bands.

A short protocol for protein staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) G-250 in polyacrylamide gels is described without using organic solvents or acetic acid as in the classical staining procedures with CBB.

In classical protein staining protocols using Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB), solutions with high contents of toxic and flammable organic solvents ...

Using the Gene Pulser MXcell Electroporation System to Transfect Primary Cells with High Efficiency

It is becoming increasingly apparent that electroporation is the most effective way to introduce plasmid DNA or siRNA into primary cells. The Gene Pulser MXcell electroporation system and Gene Pulser electroporation buffer (Bio-Rad) were specifically developed to easily transfect nucleic acids into mammalian cells and difficult-to-transfect cells, such as primary and stem cells. We will demonstrate how to perform a simple experiment to quickly identify the best electroporation conditions. We will demonstrate how to run several samples through a range of electroporation conditions so that an experiment can be conducted at the same time as optimization is performed. We will also show how optimal conditions identified using 96-well electroporation plates can be used with standard electroporation cuvettes, facilitating the switch from electroporation plates to electroporation cuvettes while maintaining the same electroporation efficiency. In the video, we will also discuss some of the key factors that can lead to the success or failure of electroporation experiments.

This procedure shows how to use the Gene Pulser MXcell electroporation system to rapidly and easily identify the best electroporation conditions for mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) or other primary cells. Considerations for troubleshooting are also discussed in the associated video.

Using an Automated Cell Counter to Simplify Gene Expression Studies: siRNA Knockdown of IL-4 Dependent Gene Expression in Namalwa Cells

The use of siRNA mediated gene knockdown is continuing to be an important tool in studies of gene expression.  siRNA studies are being conducted not only to study the effects of downregulating single genes, but also to interrogate signaling pathways and other complex interaction networks.  These pathway analyses require both the use of relevant cellular models and methods that cause less perturbation to the cellular physiology.  Electroporation is increasingly being used as an effective way to introduce siRNA and other nucleic acids into difficult to transfect cell lines and primary cells without altering the signaling pathway under investigation. There are multiple critical steps to a successful siRNA experiment, and there are ways to simplify the work while improving the data quality at several experimental stages.  To help you get started with your siRNA mediated gene knockdown project, we will demonstrate how to perform a pathway study complete from collecting and counting the cells prior to electroporation through post transfection real-time PCR gene expression analysis.  The following study investigates the role of the transcriptional activator STAT6 in IL-4 dependent gene expression of CCL17 in a Burkitt lymphoma cell line (Namalwa).  The techniques demonstrated are useful for a wide range of siRNA-based experiments on both adherent and suspension cells.  We will also show how to streamline cell counting with the TC10 automated cell counter, how to electroporate multiple samples simultaneously using the MXcell electroporation system, and how to simultaneously assess RNA quality and quantity with the Experion automated electrophoresis system.

This procedure describes a quick and easy workflow to introduce siRNA into difficult to transfect cell lines and follow gene expression by real-time PCR. Use of an automated cell counter, multi-well electroporation plate, and automated electrophoresis station provide quick and reliable results without the need for expensive robotic handling.

The use of siRNA mediated gene knockdown is continuing to be an important tool in studies of gene expression.  siRNA studies are being conducted not only ...

Adenovirus-mediated Genetic Removal of Signaling Molecules in Cultured Primary Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts

The ability to genetically remove specific components of various cell signalling cascades has been an integral tool in modern signal transduction analysis. One particular method to achieve this conditional deletion is via the use of the Cre-loxP system. This method involves flanking the gene of interest with loxP sites, which are specific recognition sequences for the Cre recombinase protein. Exposure of the so-called floxed (flanked by loxP site) DNA to this enzyme results in a Cre-mediated recombination event at the loxP sites, and subsequent excision of the intervening gene3. Several different methods exist to administer Cre recombinase to the site of interest. In this video, we demonstrate the use of an adenovirus containing the Cre recombinase gene to infect primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) obtained from embryos containing a floxed Rac1 allele1. Our rationale for selecting Rac1 MEFs for our experiments is that clear morphological changes can be seen upon deletion of Rac1, due to alterations in the actin cytoskeleton2,5. 72 hours following viral transduction and Cre expression, cells were stained using the actin dye phalloidin and imaged using confocal laser scanning microscopy. It was observed that MEFs which had been exposed to the adeno-Cre virus appeared contracted and elongated in morphology compared to uninfected cells, consistent with previous reports2,5. The adenovirus method of Cre recombinase delivery is advantageous as the adeno-Cre virus is easily available, and gene deletion via Cre in nearly 100% of the cells can be achieved with optimized adenoviral infection.

In this video we use an adenovirus carrying the Cre recombinase gene to infect primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts carrying a floxed Rac1 allele.

The ability to genetically remove specific components of various cell signalling cascades has been an integral tool in modern signal transduction ...

The Production of C. elegans Transgenes via Recombineering with the galK Selectable Marker

The creation of transgenic animals is widely utilized in C. elegans research including the use of GFP fusion proteins to study the regulation and expression pattern of genes of interest or generation of tandem affinity purification (TAP) tagged versions of specific genes to facilitate their purification. Typically transgenes are generated by placing a promoter upstream of a GFP reporter gene or cDNA of interest, and this often produces a representative expression pattern. However, critical elements of gene regulation, such as control elements in the 3' untranslated region or alternative promoters, could be missed by this approach. Further only a single splice variant can be usually studied by this means. In contrast, the use of worm genomic DNA carried by fosmid DNA clones likely includes most if not all elements involved in gene regulation in vivo which permits the greater ability to capture the genuine expression pattern and timing. To facilitate the generation of transgenes using fosmid DNA, we describe an E. coli based recombineering procedure to insert GFP, a TAP-tag, or other sequences of interest into any location in the gene. The procedure uses the galK gene as the selection marker for both the positive and negative selection steps in recombineering which results in obtaining the desired modification with high efficiency. Further, plasmids containing the galK gene flanked by homology arms to commonly used GFP and TAP fusion genes are available which reduce the cost of oligos by 50% when generating a GFP or TAP fusion protein. These plasmids use the R6K replication origin which precludes the need for extensive PCR product purification. Finally, we also demonstrate a technique to integrate the unc-119 marker on to the fosmid backbone which allows the fosmid to be directly injected or bombarded into worms to generate transgenic animals. This video demonstrates the procedures involved in generating a transgene via recombineering using this method.

The Production of C. elegans Transgenes via Recombineering with the galK Selectable Marker

The ability to produce transgenes for Caenorhabditis elegans using genomic DNA carried by fosmids is particularly attractive as all of the native regulatory elements are retained. Described is a simple and robust procedure for the production of transgenes via recombineering with the galK selectable marker.

The creation of transgenic animals is widely utilized in C. elegans research including the use of GFP fusion proteins to study the regulation and ...

In vitro Reconstitution of the Active T. castaneum Telomerase

Efforts to isolate the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in sufficient quantities for structural studies, have been met with limited success for more than a decade. Here, we present methods for the isolation of the recombinant Tribolium castaneum TERT (TcTERT) and the reconstitution of the active T. castaneum telomerase ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex in vitro.
Telomerase is a specialized reverse transcriptase1 that adds short DNA repeats, called telomeres, to the 3' end of linear chromosomes2 that serve to protect them from end-to-end fusion and degradation. Following DNA replication, a short segment is lost at the end of the chromosome3 and without telomerase, cells continue dividing until eventually reaching their Hayflick Limit4. Additionally, telomerase is dormant in most somatic cells5 in adults, but is active in cancer cells6 where it promotes cell immortality7.
The minimal telomerase enzyme consists of two core components: the protein subunit (TERT), which comprises the catalytic subunit of the enzyme and an integral RNA component (TER), which contains the template TERT uses to synthesize telomeres8,9. Prior to 2008, only structures for individual telomerase domains had been solved10,11. A major breakthrough in this field came from the determination of the crystal structure of the active12, catalytic subunit of T. castaneum telomerase, TcTERT1.
Here, we present methods for producing large quantities of the active, soluble TcTERT for structural and biochemical studies, and the reconstitution of the telomerase RNP complex in vitro for telomerase activity assays. An overview of the experimental methods used is shown in Figure 1.

In vitro Reconstitution of the Active T. castaneum Telomerase

Efforts to isolate the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in sufficient quantities for structural studies, have been met with limited success for more than a decade. Here, we present methods for the isolation of the recombinant Tribolium castaneum TERT (TcTERT) and the reconstitution of the active T. castaneum telomerase ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex in vitro.

Efforts to isolate the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in sufficient quantities for structural studies, have been met with limited success for more ...

Proteomic Sample Preparation from Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded Tissue

Preserved clinical material is a unique source for proteomic investigation of human disorders. Here we describe an optimized protocol allowing large scale quantitative analysis of formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue. The procedure comprises four distinct steps. The first one is the preparation of sections from the FFPE material and microdissection of cells of interest. In the second step the isolated cells are lysed and processed using 'filter aided sample preparation' (FASP) technique. In this step, proteins are depleted from reagents used for the sample lysis and are digested in two-steps using endoproteinase LysC and trypsin. 
After each digestion, the peptides are collected in separate fractions and their content is determined using a highly sensitive fluorescence measurement. Finally, the peptides are fractionated on 'pipette-tip' microcolumns. The LysC-peptides are separated into 4 fractions whereas the tryptic peptides are separated into 2 fractions. In this way prepared samples allow analysis of proteomes from minute amounts of material to a depth of 10,000 proteins. Thus, the described workflow is a powerful technique for studying diseases in a system-wide-fashion as well as for identification of potential biomarkers and drug targets.

Archival formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) clinical samples are valuable material for investigation of diseases. Here we demonstrate a sample preparation workflow allowing in-depth proteomic analysis of microdissected FFPE tissue.

Preserved clinical material is a unique source for proteomic investigation of human disorders. Here we describe an optimized protocol allowing large scale ...