Name: microinjection techniques for studying mitosis in the drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo
Uploaded: 2009-09-15T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microinjection Techniques for Studying Mitosis in the Drosophila melanogaster Syncytial Embryo at JoVE.com

This protocol is currently used in our laboratory and has been refined over the years by many people including Drs David Sharp, Mijung Kwon, Patrizia Sommi, Dhanya Cheerambathur. We thank Dr Bill Sullivan (UCSC) who provided us with excellent advice on the manipulation and microinjection of early Drosophila embryos when our work in this system was being initiated (ref. 13). We thank all members of the Scholey laboratory. Our work on mitosis in Drosophila is supported by NIH grant GM55507.

Recipes:
Grape Juice plates:
<ul>
<li>5.5g bacto agar</li>
<li>14.5 g dextrose or glucose</li>
<li>7.15 g sucrose</li>
<li>45 ml grape juice concentrate (100% juice).</li>
<li>204.5 ml H20</li>
<li>625 &mu;l 10N NaOH</li>
</ul>
Mix all ingredients and microwave until boiling. Add 2.8 ml acid mix (acid mix: 20.9 ml propionic acid, 2.1 ml phosphoric acid, 27 ml H20)
Mix and pour onto 35 mm Petri dishes. Let solidify a...

<ol>
	<li>Brust-Mascher, I., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mitotic+spindle+dynamics+in+Drosophila.">Mitotic spindle dynamics in Drosophila.</a> Int Rev Cytol. 259, 139-172 (2007).</li><li>Duffy, 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=GAL4+system+in+Drosophila:+a+fly+geneticist's+Swiss+army+knife.">GAL4 system in Drosophila: a fly geneticist's Swiss army knife.</a> Genesis. 34, 1-15 (2002).</li><li>Morris, R. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microinjection+methods+for+analyzing+the+functions+of+kinesins+in+early+embryos.">Microinjection methods for analyzing the functions of kinesins in early embryos.</a> Methods Mol Biol. 164, 163-172 (2001).</li><li>Brust-Mascher, I., Sommi, P., Cheerambathur, D. K., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Kinesin-5-dependent+poleward+flux+and+spindle+length+control+in+Drosophila+embryo+mitosis.">Kinesin-5-dependent poleward flux and spindle length control in Drosophila embryo mitosis.</a> Mol Biol Cell. 20, 1749-1762 (2009).</li><li>Brust-Mascher, I., Civelekoglu-Scholey, G., Kwon, M., Mogilner, A., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Model+for+anaphase+B:+role+of+three+mitotic+motors+in+a+switch+from+poleward+flux+to+spindle+elongation.">Model for anaphase B: role of three mitotic motors in a switch from poleward flux to spindle elongation.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 101, 15938-15943 (2004).</li><li>Brust-Mascher, I., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microtubule+flux+and+sliding+in+mitotic+spindles+of+Drosophila+embryos.">Microtubule flux and sliding in mitotic spindles of Drosophila embryos.</a> Mol Biol Cell. 13, 3967-3975 (2002).</li><li>Cheerambathur, D. K., Brust-Mascher, I., Civelekoglu-Scholey, G., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+partitioning+of+mitotic+kinesin-5+crosslinkers+between+microtubule-bound+and+freely+diffusing+states.">Dynamic partitioning of mitotic kinesin-5 crosslinkers between microtubule-bound and freely diffusing states.</a> J Cell Biol. 182, 421-428 (2008).</li><li>Cheerambathur, D. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Quantitative+analysis+of+an+anaphase+B+switch:+predicted+role+for+a+microtubule+catastrophe+gradient.">Quantitative analysis of an anaphase B switch: predicted role for a microtubule catastrophe gradient.</a> J Cell Biol. 177, 995-1004 (2007).</li><li>Kwon, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+chromokinesin,+KLP3A,+dives+mitotic+spindle+pole+separation+during+prometaphase+and+anaphase+and+facilitates+chromatid+motility.">The chromokinesin, KLP3A, dives mitotic spindle pole separation during prometaphase and anaphase and facilitates chromatid motility.</a> Mol Biol Cell. 15, 219-233 (2004).</li><li>Sharp, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+coordination+of+three+mitotic+motors+in+Drosophila+embryos.">Functional coordination of three mitotic motors in Drosophila embryos.</a> Mol Biol Cell. 11, 241-253 (2000).</li><li>Sharp, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+bipolar+kinesin,+KLP61F,+cross-links+microtubules+within+interpolar+microtubule+bundles+of+Drosophila+embryonic+mitotic+spindles.">The bipolar kinesin, KLP61F, cross-links microtubules within interpolar microtubule bundles of Drosophila embryonic mitotic spindles.</a> J Cell Biol. 144, 125-138 (1999).</li><li>Sharp, D. J., Rogers, G. C., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cytoplasmic+dynein+is+required+for+poleward+chromosome+movement+during+mitosis+in+Drosophila+embryos.">Cytoplasmic dynein is required for poleward chromosome movement during mitosis in Drosophila embryos.</a> Nat Cell Biol. 2, 922-930 (2000).</li><li>Sharp, D. J., Yu, K. R., Sisson, J. C., Sullivan, W., Scholey, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antagonistic+microtubule-sliding+motors+position+mitotic+centrosomes+in+Drosophila+early+embryos.">Antagonistic microtubule-sliding motors position mitotic centrosomes in Drosophila early embryos.</a> Nat Cell Biol. 1, 51-54 (1999).</li><li>Waterman-Storer, C. M., Desai, A., Bulinski, J. C., Salmon, E. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fluorescent+speckle+microscopy,+a+method+to+visualize+the+dynamics+of+protein+assemblies+in+living+cells.">Fluorescent speckle microscopy, a method to visualize the dynamics of protein assemblies in living cells.</a> Curr Biol. 8, 1227-1230 (1998).</li></ol>

This protocol is relatively straightforward, however, each step requires practice to make sure the embryos are not damaged. Careful control experiments always need to be done to ensure that reliable results are being obtained. One good way to begin this is by microinjecting buffer or rhodamine tubulin into control embryos expressing GFP-tubulin to make sure that mitosis proceeds normally through all cycles at the embryo surface (cycles 10 through 13). In control embryos you should not observe any physical connections bet...

microinjection techniques for studying mitosis in the drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo

This protocol describes the use of the Drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo for studying mitosis1. Drosophila has useful genetics with a sequenced genome, and it can be easily maintained and manipulated. Many mitotic mutants exist, and transgenic flies expressing functional fluorescently (e.g. GFP) - tagged mitotic proteins have been and are being generated. Targeted gene expression is possible using the GAL4/UAS system2. 

The Drosophila early embryo carries out multiple mitoses very rapidly (cell cycle duration, &asymp;10 min). It is well suited for imaging mitosis, because during cycles 10-13, nuclei divide rapidly and synchronously without intervening cytokinesis at the surface of the embryo in a single monolayer just underneath the cortex. These rapidly dividing nuclei probably use the same mitotic machinery as other cells, but they are optimized for speed; the checkpoint is generally believed to not be stringent, allowing the study of mitotic proteins whose absence would cause cell cycle arrest in cells with a strong checkpoint. Embryos expressing GFP labeled proteins or microinjected with fluorescently labeled proteins can be easily imaged to follow live dynamics (Fig. 1). In addition, embryos can be microinjected with function-blocking antibodies or inhibitors of specific proteins to study the effect of the loss or perturbation of their function3. These reagents can diffuse throughout the embryo, reaching many spindles to produce a gradient of concentration of inhibitor, which in turn results in a gradient of defects comparable to an allelic series of mutants. Ideally, if the target protein is fluorescently labeled, the gradient of inhibition can be directly visualized4. It is assumed that the strongest phenotype is comparable to the null phenotype, although it is hard to formally exclude the possibility that the antibodies may have dominant effects in rare instances, so rigorous controls and cautious interpretation must be applied. Further away from the injection site, protein function is only partially lost allowing other functions of the target protein to become evident.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Microinjection Techniques for Studying Mitosis in the Drosophila melanogaster Syncytial Embryo at JoVE.com

Microinjection Techniques for Studying Mitosis in the Drosophila melanogaster Syncytial Embryo

This protocol describes the use of microinjection and high resolution imaging in the Drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo to study mitosis.

Microinjection Techniques for Studying Mitosis in the Drosophila melanogaster Syncytial Embryo

This protocol describes the use of the Drosophila melanogaster syncytial embryo  for studying mitosis1.  Drosophila has useful genetics with a sequenced ...

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