We are grateful to Dr. Kozo Tanaka of Tohoku University, Japan for sharing HeLa cells stably expressing mCherry-Histone H2B and GFP-&#945;-tubulin. This work was supported by an NCI grant to DV (R00CA178188) and by start-up funds from Northwestern University.

1. Double Thymidine Block and Release: Reagent Preparations
<ol>
	<li>Make 500 mL Dulbecco&#39;s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) medium supplemented with 10% FBS, penicillin, and streptomycin.</li>
	<li>Make 100 mM stock of thymidine in sterile water and store in aliquots at -80 &#176;C.</li>
</ol>
2. Protocol for Fixed Cell Imaging of Mitotic Progression (Figure 1A)
<ol>
	<li>On day 1, seed ~2 x 105 HeLa cells into the wells of a 6-well plate with a cover slip (sterilized with 70% ethanol and UV irradiation) and 2 mL of DMEM medium. Grow the cells in a humidified incubator for 24 h at 37 &#176;C and 5% CO2.</li>
	<li>1st thymidine block: On day 2, thoroughly mix the required volume of thymidine in fresh DMEM media (100 mM stock, 2 mM final concentration).</li>
	<li>Add 2 mL of thymidine-containing media to the cells in each well of the 6-well plate and incubate for 18 h.</li>
	<li>On day 3, aspirate the medium and wash the cells twice with 2 mL of 1x PBS and once with fresh prewarmed DMEM; grow cells in fresh prewarmed DMEM medium for 9 h to release cells from block.</li>
	<li>2nd thymidine block: Again add 2 mL of thymidine-containing media (2 mM final concentration) to the cells in each well of the 6-well plate.</li>
	<li>Incubate for another 18 h.</li>
	<li>On day 4, aspirate the medium and wash the cells twice with 2 mL of 1x PBS and once with fresh prewarmed DMEM.</li>
	<li>Dilute siRNAs (control and Cdt1) and transfection reagent in serum free growth medium separately for 10 min. Mix them together and incubate for 20 min at RT. The final concentration of siRNA used in each transfection was 100 nM. Add the reaction mixture to the cells that have been washed out of Thymidine.</li>
	<li>Incubate cells at 37 &#176;C for 9-10 h to release from blocking and fix the cells on the cover slips with 4% PFA for 20 min at RT. 
	Caution: PFA is toxic, wear appropriate protection.</li>
	<li>Immunostain cells, after permeabilizing with 0.5% (v/v) detergent for 10 min at RT and washing the cells twice with 1x PBS for 5 min each.
	<ol>
		<li>Block cells with 1% BSA (w/v) in 1x PBS for 1 h at RT followed by treating cells with 50 &#181;L of primary antibodies (mouse anti-&#945;-tubulin antibody diluted at 1:1,000, rabbit anti-Zwint1 antibody diluted at 1:400, and mouse anti-phospho-&#611; H2AX diluted at 1:300) in 1% (w/v) BSA in 1x PBS for 1 h at 37 oC.</li>
		<li>After washing out the cells with 1x PBS thrice, treat cells with 50 &#181;L of secondary antibodies for each cover glass (Alexa 488 and Rhodamine Red at 1:250 dilutions in 1% (w/v) BSA in 1x PBS) for 1 h at RT.</li>
		<li>After washing the cells with 1x PBS twice for 5 min each, treat cells with DAPI (0.1&#181;g/mL in 1x PBS) for 5 min at RT.</li>
		<li>After washing the cells with 1x PBS twice for 5 min each, place the cover slip facing cells to the appropriate mounting media on a clear microscopic slide.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Image the cells for the immunostained proteins with 60X or 100X 1.4 NA Plan-Apochromatic DIC oil immersion objective mounted on an inverted high resolution confocal microscope equipped with an appropriate camera as necessary for the quality of images required.</li>
	<li>Acquire images at room temperature as z-stacks of 0.2 &#181;m thickness using software appropriate for the microscope.</li>
</ol>
3. Protocol for Live Cell Imaging of Mitotic Progression (Figure 3A)
<ol>
	<li>On day 1, seed approximately 0.5-1 x 105 HeLa cells stably expressing mCherry-H2B and GFP-&#945;-tubulin (slightly variable based on cell type and the proteins they express) into 35 mm glass bottom dishes with 1.5 mL of DMEM medium and grow them in a humidified incubator for 24 h at 37 oC and 5% CO2.</li>
	<li>1st thymidine block: On day 2, add 1.5 mL of thymidine-containing media to the cells in the dish (100 mM thymidine, 2 mM final concentration,).</li>
	<li>Incubate for 18 h.</li>
	<li>On day 3, aspirate the medium containing thymidine and wash the cells thrice, twice with 2 mL of 1x PBS and once with fresh prewarmed DMEM.</li>
	<li>Dilute siRNAs (control and Hec1) and transfection reagent with serum free growth medium separately for 10 min. Mix them together and incubate for 20 min at RT. The final concentration of siRNA used in each transfection was 100 nM. Add the reaction mixture to the cells that have been washed out of Thymidine.</li>
	<li>Grow cells in 1.5 mL of fresh prewarmed DMEM medium for 8 h to release cells from block.</li>
	<li>2nd thymidine block: Add 1.5 mL of thymidine-containing media (2 mM final concentration) to the cells in the dish.</li>
	<li>Incubate for another 18 h.</li>
	<li>On day 4, aspirate the medium and wash the cells thrice, twice with 2 mL of 1x PBS and once with fresh prewarmed DMEM. Then grow cells in fresh prewarmed Leibovitz&#39;s (L-15) medium supplemented with 10% FBS and 20 mM HEPES at pH 7.0 for 8 h to release cells from the block.</li>
	<li>Place the dish in the temperature control chamber set in the high resolution confocal microscope which has already switched on at least 30 min before beginning the imaging to stabilize the on-stage and experimental temperatures.</li>
	<li>Focus in bright field with 60x objective until cells are visible, then manually sift the on-stage to the region of choice.</li>
	<li>Set up the light and laser power/exposure, image acquisition parameters, and duration of the experiment using the microscope image acquisition software of choice. Use filters for GFP (488 excitation; 385 nm emission) and mCherry (561 nm excitation and 385 nm emission) to acquire images.</li>
	<li>Perform the time-lapse experiment by separately acquiring pulsed transmitted light and fluorescence images every 10 min for a period up to 16 h.</li>
	<li>Acquire images as twelve 1.0 &#181;m-separated z-planes at 9 h after release from the double thymidine block using software appropriate to the microscope.</li>
	<li>Analyze the images tracking individual cells for mitotic progression and finally assemble the corresponding movie with the source software Fiji/ImageJ.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Lajtha, L. G., Oliver, R., Berry, R., Noyes, W. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanism+of+radiation+effect+on+the+process+of+synthesis+of+deoxyribonucleic+acid.">Mechanism of radiation effect on the process of synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid.</a> Nature. 182 (4652), 1788-1790 (1958).</li><li>Puck, T. T., Steffen, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Life+Cycle+Analysis+of+Mammalian+Cells.+I.+A+Method+for+Localizing+Metabolic+Events+within+the+Life+Cycle,+and+Its+Application+to+the+Action+of+Colcemide+and+Sublethal+Doses+of+X-Irradiation.">Life Cycle Analysis of Mammalian Cells. I. A Method for Localizing Metabolic Events within the Life Cycle, and Its Application to the Action of Colcemide and Sublethal Doses of X-Irradiation.</a> Biophys. J. 3, 379-392 (1963).</li><li>Santaguida, S., Musacchio, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+life+and+miracles+of+kinetochores.">The life and miracles of kinetochores.</a> EMBO J. 28 (17), 2511-2531 (2009).</li><li>Musacchio, A., Desai, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Molecular+View+of+Kinetochore+Assembly+and+Function.">A Molecular View of Kinetochore Assembly and Function.</a> Biology (Basel). 6 (1), E5 (2017).</li><li>Chaudhry, M. A., Chodosh, L. A., McKenna, W. G., Muschel, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gene+expression+profiling+of+HeLa+cells+in+G1+or+G2+phases.">Gene expression profiling of HeLa cells in G1 or G2 phases.</a> Oncogene. 21 (12), 1934-1942 (2002).</li><li>Zhou, J. Y., Ma, W. L., Liang, S., Zeng, Y., Shi, R., Yu, H. L., Xiao, W. W., Zheng, W. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Analysis+of+microRNA+expression+profiles+during+the+cell+cycle+in+synchronized+HeLa+cells.">Analysis of microRNA expression profiles during the cell cycle in synchronized HeLa cells.</a> BMB Rep. 42 (9), 593-598 (2009).</li><li>Stumpf, C. R., Moreno, M. V., Olshen, A. B., Taylor, B. S., Ruggero, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+translational+landscape+of+the+mammalian+cell+cycle.">The translational landscape of the mammalian cell cycle.</a> Mol. Cell. 52 (4), 574-582 (2013).</li><li>Chen, X., Simon, E. S., Xiang, Y., Kachman, M., Andrews, P. C., Wang, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+proteomics+analysis+of+cell+cycle-regulated+Golgi+disassembly+and+reassembly.">Quantitative proteomics analysis of cell cycle-regulated Golgi disassembly and reassembly.</a> J. Biol. Chem. 285 (10), 7197-7207 (2010).</li><li>Rosner, M., Schipany, K., Hengstschl&#228;ger, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Merging+high-quality+biochemical+fractionation+with+a+refined+flow+cytometry+approach+to+monitor+nucleocytoplasmic+protein+expression+throughout+the+unperturbed+mammalian+cell+cycle.">Merging high-quality biochemical fractionation with a refined flow cytometry approach to monitor nucleocytoplasmic protein expression throughout the unperturbed mammalian cell cycle.</a> Nature Protocols. 8 (3), 602-626 (2013).</li><li>Coquelle, A., 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=Enrichment+of+non-synchronized+cells+in+the+G1,+S+and+G2+phases+of+the+cell+cycle+for+the+study+of+apoptosis.">Enrichment of non-synchronized cells in the G1, S and G2 phases of the cell cycle for the study of apoptosis.</a> Biochem. Pharmacol. 72 (11), 1396-1404 (2006).</li><li>Amon, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synchronization+procedures.">Synchronization procedures.</a> Methods Enzymol. 351, 457-467 (2002).</li><li>Cooper, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rethinking+synchronization+of+mammalian+cells+for+cell+cycle+analysis.">Rethinking synchronization of mammalian cells for cell cycle analysis.</a> Cell Mol. Life Sci. 60 (6), 1099-1106 (2003).</li><li>Whitfield, M. L., Sherlock, G., Saldanha, A. J., Murray, J. I., Ball, C. A., Alexander, K. E., Matese, J. C., Perou, C. M., Hurt, M. M., Brown, P. O., Botstein, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+of+genes+periodically+expressed+in+the+human+cell+cycle+and+their+expression+in+tumors.">Identification of genes periodically expressed in the human cell cycle and their expression in tumors.</a> Mol. Biol. Cell. 13 (6), 1977-2000 (2002).</li><li>Vassilev, L. T., 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=Selective+small-molecule+inhibitor+reveals+critical+mitotic+functions+of+human+CDK1.">Selective small-molecule inhibitor reveals critical mitotic functions of human CDK1.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103 (28), 10660-10665 (2006).</li><li>Varma, D., Chandrasekaran, S., Sundin, L. J., Reidy, K. T., Wan, X., Chasse, D. A., Nevis, K. R., DeLuca, J. G., Salmon, E. D., Cook, J. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Recruitment+of+the+human+Cdt1+replication+licensing+protein+by+the+loop+domain+of+Hec1+is+required+for+stable+kinetochore-microtubule+attachment.">Recruitment of the human Cdt1 replication licensing protein by the loop domain of Hec1 is required for stable kinetochore-microtubule attachment.</a> Nat. Cell Biol. 14 (6), 593-603 (2012).</li><li>Garcia, M., Westley, B., Rochefort, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=5-Bromodeoxyuridine+specifically+inhibits+the+synthesis+of+estrogen-induced+proteins+in+MCF7+cells.">5-Bromodeoxyuridine specifically inhibits the synthesis of estrogen-induced proteins in MCF7 cells.</a> Eur. J. Biochem. 116 (2), 297-301 (1981).</li><li>Bostock, C. J., Prescott, D. M., Kirkpatrick, J. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+evaluation+of+the+double+thymidine+block+for+synchronizing+mammalian+cells+at+the+G1-S+border.">An evaluation of the double thymidine block for synchronizing mammalian cells at the G1-S border.</a> Exp. Cell Res. 68 (1), 163-168 (1971).</li><li>Martin-Lluesma, S., Stucke, V. M., Nigg, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+Hec1+in+spindle+checkpoint+signaling+and+kinetochore+recruitment+of+Mad1/Mad2.">Role of Hec1 in spindle checkpoint signaling and kinetochore recruitment of Mad1/Mad2.</a> Science. 297, 2267-2270 (2002).</li><li>Brouwers, N., Mallol Martinez, N., Vernos, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+Kif15+and+its+novel+mitotic+partner+KBP+in+K-fiber+dynamics+and+chromosome+alignment.">Role of Kif15 and its novel mitotic partner KBP in K-fiber dynamics and chromosome alignment.</a> PLoS One. 12 (4), e0174819 (2017).</li><li>Dou, Z., 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=Dynamic+localization+of+Mps1+kinase+to+kinetochores+is+essential+for+accurate+spindle+microtubule+attachment.">Dynamic localization of Mps1 kinase to kinetochores is essential for accurate spindle microtubule attachment.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 112 (33), E4546-E4555 (2015).</li><li>Chan, Y. W., Jeyaprakash, A. A., Nigg, E. A., Santamaria, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Aurora+B+controls+kinetochore-microtubule+attachments+by+inhibiting+Ska+complex-KMN+network+interaction.">Aurora B controls kinetochore-microtubule attachments by inhibiting Ska complex-KMN network interaction.</a> J Cell Biol. 196 (5), 563-571 (2012).</li></ol>

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interest.

The most critical advantage of double thymidine synchronization is that it provides an increased sample size of mitotic cells in a short time window with many of these cells entering mitosis in unison, thus also enabling analyses of chromosome alignment, bipolar spindle formation, and chromosome segregation with much higher efficiency.
Many regulatory protein complexes and signaling pathways are devoted to ensuring normal progression through mitosis and deregulation of this process may led to ...

In the cell cycle, cells undergo a series of highly regulated and temporally controlled events for the accurate duplication of their genome and proliferation. In mammals, the cell cycle consists of interphase and M-phase. In interphase, which consists of three stages- G1, S, and G2, the cell duplicates its genome and undergoes growth that is necessary for normal cell cycle progression1,2. In the M-phase, which consists of mitosis (prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase) and cytokinesis, a parental cell produces two genetically identical daughter cells. In mitosis, sister chromatids of duplicated genome are condensed (prophase) and are captured at their kinetochores by microtubules of the assembled mitotic spindle (prometaphase), that drives their alignment at the metaphase plate (metaphase) followed by their equal segregation when sister chromatids are split toward and transported to opposite spindle poles (anaphase). The two daughter cells are physically separated by the activity of an actin-based contractile ring (telophase and cytokinesis). The kinetochore is a specialized proteinaceous structure which assembles at the centromeric region of chromatids and serve as attachment sites for spindle microtubules. Its main function is to drive chromosome capture, alignment, and aid in correcting improper spindle microtubule attachment, while mediating the spindle assembly checkpoint to maintain the fidelity of chromosome segregation3,4.
The technique of cell synchronization serves as an ideal tool for understanding the molecular and structural events involved in cell cycle progression. This approach has been used to enrich cell populations at specific phases for various types of analyses, including profiling of gene expression, analyses of cellular biochemical processes, and detection of subcellular localization of proteins. Synchronized mammalian cells can be used not only for the study of individual gene products, but also for approaches involving analysis of whole genomes including microarray analysis of gene expression5, miRNA expression patterns6, translational regulation7, and proteomic analysis of protein modifications8. Synchronization can also be used to study the effects of gene expression or protein knock-down or knock-out, or of chemicals on cell cycle progression.
Cells can be synchronized at the different stages of the cell cycle. Both physical and chemical methods are widely used for cell synchronization. The most important criteria for cell synchronization are that synchronization should be noncytotoxic and reversible. Because of the potential adverse cellular consequences of synchronizing cells by pharmacological agents, chemical-dependent methods can be advantageous for studying key cell cycle events. For example, hydroxyurea, amphidicolin, mimosine, and lovastatin, can be used for cell synchronization at G1/S phase but, because of their effect on the biochemical pathways they inhibit, they activate cell cycle checkpoint mechanisms and kill an important fraction of the cells9,10. On the other hand, feedback inhibition of DNA replication by adding thymidine to the growth media, known as &#34;thymidine block&#34;, can arrest the cell cycle at certain points11,12,13. Cells can also be synchronized at G2/M phase by treating with nocodazole and RO-33069,14.Nocodazole, which prevents microtubule assembly, has a relatively high cytotoxicity. Moreover, nocodazole-arrested cells can return to interphase precociously by mitotic slippage. Double thymidine block arrest cells at G1/S phase and after release from the block, cells are found to proceed synchronously through G2 and into mitosis. The normal progression of the cell cycle for cells released from thymidine block can be observed under high resolution confocal microscopy by either cell fixation or live imaging. The effect of perturbation of mitotic proteins can be studied specifically when cells enter and proceed through mitosis after release from double thymidine block. Cdt1, a multifunctional protein, is involved in DNA replication origin licensing in the G1 phase and is also required for kinetochore microtubule attachments during mitosis15. To study the function of Cdt1 during mitosis, one needs to adopt a method that avoids the effect of its depletion on replication licensing during G1 phase, while at the same time effecting its depletion specifically during the G2/M phase only. Here, we present detailed protocols based on the double thymidine block to study the mitotic role of proteins performing multiple functions during different stages of the cell cycle by both fixed and live-cell imaging.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM (1X)</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>11965-092</td>
			<td>Store at 4 degree C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DPBS (1X)</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>14190-144</td>
			<td>Store at 4 degree C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leibovitz&#8217;s (1X) L-15 medium</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>21083-027</td>
			<td>Store at 4 degree C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Serum reduced medium (Opti-MEM)</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>319-85-070</td>
			<td>Store at 4 degree C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin and streptomycin</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>15070-063 (Pen Strep)</td>
			<td>1:1000 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dharmafect2</td>
			<td>GE Dharmacon</td>
			<td>T-2002-02</td>
			<td>Store at 4 degree C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Thymidine</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals LLC</td>
			<td>103056</td>
			<td>Dissolved in sterile distiled water</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cdt1 siRNA</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Ref 10</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hec1 siRNA</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Ref 13</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HeLa cells expressing GFP-H2B</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HeLa cells expressing GFP-&#945;-tubulin and mCherry H2B</td>
			<td>Generous gift from Dr. Kozo Tanaka of Tohoku university, Japan</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Formaldehyde solution</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Corporation</td>
			<td>F8775</td>
			<td>Toxic, needs caution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich Corporation</td>
			<td>D9542</td>
			<td>Toxic, needs caution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse anti-&#945;-tubulin</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz Biotechnology</td>
			<td>Sc32293</td>
			<td>1:1000 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit ant-Zwint1</td>
			<td>Bethyl</td>
			<td>A300-781A</td>
			<td>1:400 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse anti-phospho-&#947;H2AX (Ser139)</td>
			<td>Upstate Biotechnology</td>
			<td>05-626, clone JBW301</td>
			<td>1:300 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa 488</td>
			<td>Jackson ImmunoResearch</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1:250 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rodamine Red-X</td>
			<td>Jackson ImmunoResearch</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1:250 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BioLite 6 well multidish</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>130184</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>35MM Glass bottom dish</td>
			<td>MatTek Corporation</td>
			<td>P35GCOL-1.5-14-C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nikon Eclipse TiE inverted microscope</td>
			<td>Nikon Instruments</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spinning disc for confocal</td>
			<td>Yokagawa</td>
			<td>CSU-X1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ultra 888 EM-CCD Camera</td>
			<td>Andor</td>
			<td>iXon Ultra EMCCD</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4 wave length laser</td>
			<td>Agilent Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Incubation System for Microscopes</td>
			<td>Tokai Hit</td>
			<td>TIZB</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NIS-elements software</td>
			<td>Nikon Instruments</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

combining mitotic cell synchronization and high resolution confocal microscopy to study the role of multifunctional cell cycle proteins during mitosis

Study of the various regulatory events of the cell cycle in a phase-dependent manner provides a clear understanding about cell growth and division. The synchronization of cell populations at specific stages of the cell cycle has been found to be very useful in such experimental endeavors. Synchronization of cells by treatment with chemicals that are relatively less toxic can be advantageous over the use of pharmacological inhibitory drugs for the study of consequent cell cycle events and to obtain specific enrichment of selected mitotic stages. Here, we describe the protocol for synchronizing human cells at different stages of the cell cycle, including both in S phase and M phase with a double thymidine block and release procedure for studying the functionality of mitotic proteins in chromosome alignment and segregation. This protocol has been extremely useful for studying the mitotic roles of multifunctional proteins which possess established interphase functions. In our case, the mitotic role of Cdt1, a protein critical for replication origin licensing in G1 phase, can be studied effectively only when G2/M-specific Cdt1 can be depleted. We describe the detailed protocol for depletion of G2/M-specific Cdt1 using double thymidine synchronization. We also explain the protocol of cell fixation, and live cell imaging using high resolution confocal microscopy after thymidine release. The method is also useful for analyzing the function of mitotic proteins under both physiological and perturbed conditions such as for Hec1, a component of the Ndc80 complex, as it enables one to obtain large sample sizes of mitotic cells for fixed and live cell analysis as we show here.&#160;&#160;

Study of mitotic progression and microtubule stability in cells fixed after release from double thymidine block 
Cdt1 is involved in licensing of DNA replication origins in the G1 phase. It is degraded during S phase but re-accumulates in G2/M phase. To study its role in mitosis, the endogenous Cdt1 needs to be depleted specifically at the G/M phase using the most suitable cell synchronization technique, the double thymidine block15. Cells wer...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Combining Mitotic Cell Synchronization and High Resolution Confocal Microscopy to Study the Role of Multifunctional Cell Cycle Proteins During Mitosis at JoVE

Combining Mitotic Cell Synchronization and High Resolution Confocal Microscopy to Study the Role of Multifunctional Cell Cycle Proteins During Mitosis

We present a protocol for double thymidine synchronization of HeLa cells followed by analysis using high resolution confocal microscopy. This method is key to obtaining large number of cells that proceed synchronously from S phase to mitosis, enabling studies on mitotic roles of multifunctional proteins which also possess interphase functions.

Study of the various regulatory events of the cell cycle in a phase-dependent manner provides a clear understanding about cell growth and division. The ...

combining-mitotic-cell-synchronization-high-resolution-confocal

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

14.1K Views.  Northwestern University. We present a protocol for double thymidine synchronization of HeLa cells followed by analysis using high resolution confocal microscopy. This method is key to obtaining large number of cells that proceed synchronously from S phase to mitosis, enabling studies on mitotic roles of multifunctional proteins which also possess interphase functions. 

Video: Combining Mitotic Cell Synchronization and High Resolution Confocal Microscopy to Study the Role of Multifunctional Cell Cycle Proteins During Mitosis

Fluorescence-based Measurement of Store-operated Calcium Entry in Live Cells: from Cultured Cancer Cell to Skeletal Muscle Fiber

Store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), earlier termed capacitative Ca2+ entry, is a tightly regulated mechanism for influx of extracellular Ca2+ into cells to replenish depleted endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ stores1,2. Since Ca2+ is a ubiquitous second messenger, it is not surprising to see that SOCE plays important roles in a variety of cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, gene transcription and motility. Due to its wide occurrence in nearly all cell types, including epithelial cells and skeletal muscles, this pathway has received great interest3,4. However, the heterogeneity of SOCE characteristics in different cell types and the physiological function are still not clear5-7.
The functional channel properties of SOCE can be revealed by patch-clamp studies, whereas a large body of knowledge about this pathway has been gained by fluorescence-based intracellular Ca2+ measurements because of its convenience and feasibility for high-throughput screening. The objective of this report is to summarize a few fluorescence-based methods to measure the activation of SOCE in monolayer cells, suspended cells and muscle fibers5,8-10. The most commonly used of these fluorescence methods is to directly monitor the dynamics of intracellular Ca2+ using the ratio of F340nm and F380nm (510 nm for emission wavelength) of the ratiometric Ca2+ indicator Fura-2. To isolate the activity of unidirectional SOCE from intracellular Ca2+ release and Ca2+ extrusion, a Mn2+ quenching assay is frequently used. Mn2+ is known to be able to permeate into cells via SOCE while it is impervious to the surface membrane extrusion processes or to ER uptake by Ca2+ pumps due to its very high affinity with Fura-2. As a result, the quenching of Fura-2 fluorescence induced by the entry of extracellular Mn2+ into the cells represents a measurement of activity of SOCE9. Ratiometric measurement and the Mn+2 quenching assays can be performed on a cuvette-based spectrofluorometer in a cell population mode or in a microscope-based system to visualize single cells. The advantage of single cell measurements is that individual cells subjected to gene manipulations can be selected using GFP or RFP reporters, allowing studies in genetically modified or mutated cells. The spatiotemporal characteristics of SOCE in structurally specialized skeletal muscle can be achieved in skinned muscle fibers by simultaneously monitoring the fluorescence of two low affinity Ca2+ indicators targeted to specific compartments of the muscle fiber, such as Fluo-5N in the SR and Rhod-5N in the transverse tubules9,11,12.

The extent of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) can be monitored using fluorescent Ca2+ indicators. Mn2+ quenching of such indicators assays SOCE in cultured cells and skeletal muscle fibers. A technique allowing spatial and temporal resolution of SOCE by confocal imaging of mechanically skinned muscle fibers is also described.

Store operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), earlier termed capacitative Ca2+ entry, is a tightly regulated mechanism for influx of extracellular Ca2+ into cells to ...

Long-term, High-resolution Confocal Time Lapse Imaging of Arabidopsis Cotyledon Epidermis during Germination

Imaging in vivo dynamics of cellular behavior throughout a developmental sequence can be a powerful technique for understanding the mechanics of tissue patterning. During animal development, key cell proliferation and patterning events occur very quickly. For instance, in Caenorhabditis elegans all cell divisions required for the larval body plan are completed within six hours after fertilization, with seven mitotic cycles1; the sixteen or more mitoses of Drosophila embryogenesis occur in less than 24 hr2. In contrast, cell divisions during plant development are slow, typically on the order of a day 3,4,5 . This imposes a unique challenge and a need for long-term live imaging for documenting dynamic behaviors of cell division and differentiation events during plant organogenesis. Arabidopsis epidermis is an excellent model system for investigating signaling, cell fate, and development in plants. In the cotyledon, this tissue consists of air- and water-resistant pavement cells interspersed with evenly distributed stomata, valves that open and close to control gas exchange and water loss. Proper spacing of these stomata is critical to their function, and their development follows a sequence of asymmetric division and cell differentiation steps to produce the organized epidermis (Fig. 1).
This protocol allows observation of cells and proteins in the epidermis over several days of development. This time frame enables precise documentation of stem-cell divisions and differentiation of epidermal cells, including stomata and epidermal pavement cells. Fluorescent proteins can be fused to proteins of interest to assess their dynamics during cell division and differentiation processes. This technique allows us to understand the localization of a novel protein, POLAR6, during the proliferation stage of stomatal-lineage cells in the Arabidopsis cotyledon epidermis, where it is expressed in cells preceding asymmetric division events and moves to a characteristic area of the cell cortex shortly before division occurs. Images can be registered and streamlined video easily produced using public domain software to visualize dynamic protein localization and cell types as they change over time.

Long-term, High-resolution Confocal Time Lapse Imaging of Arabidopsis Cotyledon Epidermis during Germination

We describe a protocol using chamber slides and media to immobilize plant cotyledons for confocal imaging of the epidermis over several days of development, documenting stomatal differentiation. Fluorophore-tagged proteins can be tracked dynamically by expression and subcellular localization, increasing understanding of their possible roles during cell division and cell-type differentiation.

Imaging in vivo dynamics of cellular behavior throughout a developmental sequence can be a powerful technique for understanding the mechanics of tissue ...

Analyzing Craniofacial Morphogenesis in Zebrafish Using 4D Confocal Microscopy

Time-lapse imaging is a technique that allows for the direct observation of the process of morphogenesis, or the generation of shape. Due to their optical clarity and amenability to genetic manipulation, the zebrafish embryo has become a popular model organism with which to perform time-lapse analysis of morphogenesis in living embryos. Confocal imaging of a live zebrafish embryo requires that a tissue of interest is persistently labeled with a fluorescent marker, such as a transgene or injected dye. The process demands that the embryo is anesthetized and held in place in such a way that healthy development proceeds normally. Parameters for imaging must be set to account for three-dimensional growth and to balance the demands of resolving individual cells while getting quick snapshots of development. Our results demonstrate the ability to perform long-term in vivo imaging of fluorescence-labeled zebrafish embryos and to detect varied tissue behaviors in the cranial neural crest that cause craniofacial abnormalities. Developmental delays caused by anesthesia and mounting are minimal, and embryos are unharmed by the process. Time-lapse imaged embryos can be returned to liquid medium and subsequently imaged or fixed at later points in development. With an increasing abundance of transgenic zebrafish lines and well-characterized fate mapping and transplantation techniques, imaging any desired tissue is possible. As such, time-lapse in vivo imaging combines powerfully with zebrafish genetic methods, including analyses of mutant and microinjected embryos.

Time-lapse confocal imaging is a powerful technique useful for characterizing embryonic development. Here, we describe the methodology and characterize craniofacial morphogenesis in wild-type, as well as pdgfra, smad5, and smo mutant embryos.

Time-lapse imaging is a technique that allows for the direct observation of the process of morphogenesis, or the generation of shape. Due to their optical ...

Combining Magnetic Sorting of Mother Cells and Fluctuation Tests to Analyze Genome Instability During Mitotic Cell Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an excellent model system for examining mechanisms and consequences of genome instability. Information gained from this yeast model is relevant to many organisms, including humans, since DNA repair and DNA damage response factors are well conserved across diverse species. However, S. cerevisiae has not yet been used to fully address whether the rate of accumulating mutations changes with increasing replicative (mitotic) age due to technical constraints. For instance, measurements of yeast replicative lifespan through micromanipulation involve very small populations of cells, which prohibit detection of rare mutations. Genetic methods to enrich for mother cells in populations by inducing death of daughter cells have been developed, but population sizes are still limited by the frequency with which random mutations that compromise the selection systems occur. The current protocol takes advantage of magnetic sorting of surface-labeled yeast mother cells to obtain large enough populations of aging mother cells to quantify rare mutations through phenotypic selections. Mutation rates, measured through fluctuation tests, and mutation frequencies are first established for young cells and used to predict the frequency of mutations in mother cells of various replicative ages. Mutation frequencies are then determined for sorted mother cells, and the age of the mother cells is determined using flow cytometry by staining with a fluorescent reagent that detects bud scars formed on their cell surfaces during cell division. Comparison of predicted mutation frequencies based on the number of cell divisions to the frequencies experimentally observed for mother cells of a given replicative age can then identify whether there are age-related changes in the rate of accumulating mutations. Variations of this basic protocol provide the means to investigate the influence of alterations in specific gene functions or specific environmental conditions on mutation accumulation to address mechanisms underlying genome instability during replicative aging.

Combining Magnetic Sorting of Mother Cells and Fluctuation Tests to Analyze Genome Instability During Mitotic Cell Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mutation rates in young Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells measured through fluctuation tests are used to predict mutation frequencies for mother cells of different replicative ages. Magnetic sorting and flow cytometry are then used to measure actual mutation frequencies and age of mother cells to identify any deviations from predicted mutation frequencies.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been an excellent model system for examining mechanisms and consequences of genome instability. Information gained from this ...

Synchronization of Caulobacter Crescentus for Investigation of the Bacterial Cell Cycle

The cell cycle is important for growth, genome replication, and development in all cells. In bacteria, studies of the cell cycle have focused largely on unsynchronized cells making it difficult to order the temporal events required for cell cycle progression, genome replication, and division. Caulobacter crescentus provides an excellent model system for the bacterial cell cycle whereby cells can be rapidly synchronized in a G0 state by density centrifugation. Cell cycle synchronization experiments have been used to establish the molecular events governing chromosome replication and segregation, to map a genetic regulatory network controlling cell cycle progression, and to identify the establishment of polar signaling complexes required for asymmetric cell division. Here we provide a detailed protocol for the rapid synchronization of Caulobacter NA1000 cells. Synchronization can be performed in a large-scale format for gene expression profiling and western blot assays, as well as a small-scale format for microscopy or FACS assays. The rapid synchronizability and high cell yields of Caulobacter make this organism a powerful model system for studies of the bacterial cell cycle.

Synchronization of Caulobacter Crescentus for Investigation of the Bacterial Cell Cycle

Synchronization of bacterial cells is essential for studies of the bacterial cell cycle and development. Caulobacter crescentus is synchronizable through density centrifugation allowing a rapid and powerful tool for studies of the bacterial cell cycle. Here we provide a detailed protocol for the synchronization of Caulobacter cells.

The cell cycle is important for growth, genome replication, and development in all cells.  In bacteria, studies of the cell cycle have focused largely on ...

Temporal Tracking of Cell Cycle Progression Using Flow Cytometry without the Need for Synchronization

This protocol describes a method to permit the tracking of cells through the cell cycle without requiring the cells to be synchronized. Achieving cell synchronization can be difficult for many cell systems. Standard practice is to block cell cycle progression at a specific stage and then release the accumulated cells producing a wave of cells progressing through the cycle in unison. However, some cell types find this block toxic resulting in abnormal cell cycling, or even mass death. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake can be used to track the cell cycle stage of individual cells. Cells incorporate this synthetic thymidine analog, while synthesizing new DNA during S phase. By providing BrdU for a brief period it is possible to mark a pool of cells that were in S phase while the BrdU was present. These cells can then be tracked through the remainder of the cell cycle and into the next round of replication, permitting the duration of the cell cycle phases to be determined without the need to induce a potentially toxic cell cycle block. It is also possible to determine and correlate the expression of both internal and external proteins during subsequent stages of the cell cycle. These can be used to further refine the assignment of cell cycle stage or assess effects on other cellular functions such as checkpoint activation or cell death.

This protocol describes the use of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake to permit the temporal tracking of cells that were in S phase at a specific point in time. Addition of DNA dyes and antibody labeling facilitates detailed analysis of the fate of the S phase cells at later times.

This protocol describes a method to permit the tracking of cells through the cell cycle without requiring the cells to be synchronized. Achieving cell ...

A Cell Free Assay to Study Chromatin Decondensation at the End of Mitosis

During the vertebrate cell cycle chromatin undergoes extensive structural and functional changes. Upon mitotic entry, it massively condenses into rod shaped chromosomes which are moved individually by the mitotic spindle apparatus. Mitotic chromatin condensation yields chromosomes compacted fifty-fold denser as in interphase. During exit from mitosis, chromosomes have to re-establish their functional interphase state, which is enclosed by a nuclear envelope and is competent for replication and transcription. The decondensation process is morphologically well described, but in molecular terms poorly understood: We lack knowledge about the underlying molecular events and to a large extent the factors involved as well as their regulation. We describe here a cell-free system that faithfully recapitulates chromatin decondensation in vitro, based on mitotic chromatin clusters purified from synchronized HeLa cells and X. laevis egg extract. Our cell-free system provides an important tool for further molecular characterization of chromatin decondensation and its co-ordination with processes simultaneously occurring during mitotic exit such as nuclear envelope and pore complex re-assembly.

The molecular mechanisms of the decondensation of highly compacted mitotic chromatin are ill-defined. We present a cell-free assay based on mitotic chromatin clusters isolated from HeLa cells and Xenopus laevis egg extract that faithfully reconstitutes the decondensation process in vitro.

During the vertebrate cell cycle chromatin undergoes extensive structural and functional changes. Upon mitotic entry, it massively condenses into rod ...

Advanced Confocal Microscopy Techniques to Study Protein-protein Interactions and Kinetics at DNA Lesions

Local microirradiation with lasers represents a useful tool for studies of DNA-repair-related processes in live cells. Here, we describe a methodological approach to analyzing protein kinetics at DNA lesions over time or protein-protein interactions on locally microirradiated chromatin. We also show how to recognize individual phases of the cell cycle using the Fucci cellular system to study cell-cycle-dependent protein kinetics at DNA lesions. A methodological description of the use of two UV lasers (355 nm and 405 nm) to induce different types of DNA damage is also presented. Only the cells microirradiated by the 405-nm diode laser proceeded through mitosis normally and were devoid of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). We also show how microirradiated cells can be fixed at a given time point to perform immunodetection of the endogenous proteins of interest. For the DNA repair studies, we additionally describe the use of biophysical methods including FRAP (Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching) and FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy) in cells with spontaneously occurring DNA damage foci. We also show an application of FLIM-FRET (Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer) in experimental studies of protein-protein interactions.

Laser microirradiation is a useful tool for studies of DNA repair in living cells. A methodological approach for the use of UVA lasers to induce various DNA lesions is shown. We have optimized a method for local microirradiation that maintains the normal cell cycle; thus, irradiated cells proceed through mitosis.

Local microirradiation with lasers represents a useful tool for studies of DNA-repair-related processes in live cells. Here, we describe a methodological ...

Live Cell Fluorescence Microscopy to Observe Essential Processes During Microbial Cell Growth

Core cellular processes such as DNA replication and segregation, protein synthesis, cell wall biosynthesis, and cell division rely on the function of proteins which are essential for bacterial survival. A series of target-specific dyes can be used as probes to better understand these processes. Staining with lipophilic dyes enables the observation of membrane structure, visualization of lipid microdomains, and detection of membrane blebs. Use of fluorescent-d-amino acids (FDAAs) to probe the sites of peptidoglycan biosynthesis can indicate potential defects in cell wall biogenesis or cell growth patterning. Finally, nucleic acid stains can indicate possible defects in DNA replication or chromosome segregation. Cyanine DNA stains label living cells and are suitable for time-lapse microscopy enabling real-time observations of nucleoid morphology during cell growth. Protocols for cell labeling can be applied to protein depletion mutants to identify defects in membrane structure, cell wall biogenesis, or chromosome segregation. Furthermore, time-lapse microscopy can be used to monitor morphological changes as an essential protein is removed and can provide additional insights into protein function. For example, the depletion of essential cell division proteins results in filamentation or branching, whereas the depletion of cell growth proteins may cause cells to become shorter or rounder. Here, protocols for cell growth, target-specific labeling, and time-lapse microscopy are provided for the bacterial plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Together, target-specific dyes and time-lapse microscopy enable characterization of essential processes in A. tumefaciens. Finally, the protocols provided can be readily modified to probe essential processes in other bacteria.

Understanding the function of essential processes in bacteria is challenging. Fluorescence microscopy with target-specific dyes can provide key insights into microbial cell growth and cell cycle progression. Here, Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used as a model bacterium to highlight methods for live cell imaging for characterization of essential processes.

Core cellular processes such as DNA replication and segregation, protein synthesis, cell wall biosynthesis, and cell division rely on the function of ...

The Microscopy-Based Assay to Study and Analyze the Recycling Endosomes using SNARE Trafficking

Recycling endosomes (REs) are tubular-vesicular organelles generated from early/sorting endosomes in all cell types. These organelles play a key role in the biogenesis of melanosomes, a lysosome-related organelle produced by melanocytes. REs deliver the melanocyte-specific cargo to premature melanosomes during their formation. Blockage in the generation of REs, observed in several mutants of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, results in hypopigmentation of skin, hair, and eye. Therefore, studying the dynamics (refer to number and length) of REs is useful to understand the function of these organelles in normal and disease conditions. In this study, we aim to measure the RE dynamics using a resident SNARE STX13.

Recycling endosomes are part of the endosomal tubular network. Here we present a method to quantify the dynamics of recycling endosomes using GFP-STX13 as an organelle marker.

Recycling endosomes (REs) are tubular-vesicular organelles generated from early/sorting endosomes in all cell types. These organelles play a key role in ...