This work was supported by a FAPESP grant (15/06477-9).

1. Yeast total extract preparation
<ol>
	<li>Grow the yeast cells expressing one of the splicing factors fused to the TAP tag9 in 1 L YNB-glu media (Yeast Nitrogen Basis supplemented with 2% m/v glucose) with the appropriate amino acids or nucleic bases, in this case, adenine (20 &#181;g/mL), leucine (30 &#181;g/mL), tryptophan (30 &#181;g/mL), up to OD600 = 1.0.</li>
	<li>Collect the cells from the 1 L culture by centrifuging in three 500 mL centrifuge bottles at 17,000 x g for 10 min at 4 &#176;C and wash twice with 10 mL cold sterile water.</li>
	<li>Resuspend the collected yeast cells in 1/10 of the cell volume of cold buffer A (10 mmol L-1 HEPES pH = 7.9, 1.5 mmol L-1 MgCl2, 50 mmol L-1 KCl, 5% v/v glycerol, 0.5 mmol L-1 DTT, EDTA-free Protease Inhibitor Cocktail).</li>
	<li>Freeze small drops of cell suspension in liquid nitrogen. The small drops can be obtained by pipetting the resuspended cell solution and dropping 50 &#181;L directly into liquid nitrogen. 
	CAUTION: Liquid nitrogen can cause injuries in contact with skin or eyes. Handle using appropriated safety equipment. 
	NOTE: The protocol can be paused here. The frozen drops of cell suspension can be stored at -80 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Prepare yeast cells lysates by grinding in a Ball Mill device through six cycles at 20 Hz/s for 3 min. 
	NOTE: After each cycle, immerse the container harboring the frozen cells in liquid nitrogen to avoid melting. The protocol can be paused here. The frozen extracts can be stored at -80 &#176;C. Yeast splicing extracts can also be prepared using homogenizers to lysate spheroplasts10, or using mortar and pestle11,12.</li>
	<li>Melt the extract by placing the tubes containing them in water at room temperature, shaking occasionally.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge extracts at 45,000 x g for 1 h at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Quantify the protein content of the cleared supernatant by the BCA method13.</li>
	<li>Prepare aliquots of the extracts, fast freeze them in liquid nitrogen and store at -80 &#176;C. 
	NOTE: The protocol can be paused here.</li>
</ol>
2. Glycerol gradient preparation
<ol>
	<li>Prepare two glycerol solutions in Buffer A, one containing 10% v/v and the other containing 30% v/v glycerol.</li>
	<li>Add the crosslinking agent glutaraldehyde to 0.1% v/v in the 30% v/v glycerol solution and mix to homogenize. 
	CAUTION: Handle glutaraldehyde inside the fume hood using appropriate safety equipment.</li>
	<li>Add 6 mL of the cold 10% v/v glycerol solution at the bottom of the 12 mL centrifuge tube (14 x 89 mm).</li>
	<li>Add 6 mL of the cold 30% v/v glycerol solution supplemented with glutaraldehyde with a syringe attached to a long needle provided with the Gradient Master device at the bottom of the tube, just beneath the 10% v/v glycerol solution. 
	NOTE: Alternatively, the 10% v/v glycerol solution can be carefully pipetted on the top of the 30% v/v glycerol/glutaraldehyde solution.</li>
	<li>Use the Gradient Master device to generate a continuous density gradient. 
	NOTE: In the Gradient Master device, the tubes are placed into an appropriate rack and rotated briefly, following the manufacturer&#8217;s recommendations for determining the parameters (time/angle/speed). In this work we used: 2:25 min/81.5&#176;/11 rpm.</li>
	<li>Carefully add 200 &#956;L of a 7% v/v glycerol/buffer A cushion on the top just before the addition of the cell extracts. 
	NOTE: The glycerol concentration of the cushion must be lower than the less concentrated glycerol solution used to create the linear gradient.</li>
</ol>
3. Extracts centrifugation
<ol>
	<li>Load approximately 2 mg of total protein on the top of each 12 mL linear glycerol gradient 10%&#8211;30% glutaraldehyde with cushion.</li>
	<li>Place the tubes in a pre-cooled swing-bucket rotor. 
	NOTE: Handle the tubes gently to avoid mixing before ultracentrifugation.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge at 194,000 x g for 16 h at 4 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Aliquot each 12 mL tube in twenty-four 500 &#956;L fractions using an adapted EconoSystem or by carefully pipetting. 
	NOTE: An adapted EconoSystem consists of a peristaltic pump, the UV detector, and the fraction collector connected to the tube-perforating device. The sedimentation profile can be monitored by the measurement of the absorbance at 280 nm.</li>
	<li>Use a 40% v/v glycerol solution through the peristaltic pump to push the glycerol 10%&#8211;30% gradient from the tube to the fraction collector. 
	NOTE: The protocol can be paused here. Store the fractions at -80 &#176;C until use.</li>
	<li>Load 50 &#956;L of each fraction directly on nitrocellulose membranes on a dot blot or slot blot device. Detect protein by immunoblot using antibody against CBP (1:6,000, to detect the CBP portion of the TAP tag) and anti-rabbit IgG conjugated with Horseradish Peroxidase (1:15,000) as the secondary antibody.</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Kastner, B., Will, C. L., Stark, H., L&#252;hrmann, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Structural+insights+into+nuclear+pre-mRNA+splicing+in+higher+eukaryotes.">Structural insights into nuclear pre-mRNA splicing in higher eukaryotes.</a> Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 11 (11), 032417 (2019).</li><li>Yan, C., Wan, R., Shi, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+mechanisms+of+pre-mRNA+splicing+through+structural+biology+of+the+spliceosome.">Molecular mechanisms of pre-mRNA splicing through structural biology of the spliceosome.</a> Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 11 (1), 032409 (2019).</li><li>Cordin, O., Hahn, D., Beggs, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Structure,+function+and+regulation+of+spliceosomal+RNA+helicases.">Structure, function and regulation of spliceosomal RNA helicases.</a> Current Opinion in Cell Biology. 24, 431-438 (2012).</li><li>Kastner, B., 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=GraFix:+sample+preparation+for+single-particle+electron+cryomicroscopy.">GraFix: sample preparation for single-particle electron cryomicroscopy.</a> Nature Methods. 5 (1), 53-55 (2008).</li><li>Stark, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Grafix:+stabilization+of+fragile+macromolecular+complexes+for+single+particle+cryo-EM.">Grafix: stabilization of fragile macromolecular complexes for single particle cryo-EM.</a> Methods in Enzymology. 481, 109-126 (2010).</li><li>Yan, C., Wan, R., Bai, R., Huang, G., Shi, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Structure+of+a+yeast+activated+spliceosome+at+3.5+&#197;+resolution.">Structure of a yeast activated spliceosome at 3.5 &#197; resolution.</a> Science. 353 (6302), 895-904 (2016).</li><li>Ohi, M. D., 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=Proteomics+analysis+revelas+stable+multiprotein+complexes+in+both+fission+and+budding+yeasts+containing+Myb-related+Cdc5p/Cef1p,+novel+pre-mRNA+splicing+factors,+and+snRNAs.">Proteomics analysis revelas stable multiprotein complexes in both fission and budding yeasts containing Myb-related Cdc5p/Cef1p, novel pre-mRNA splicing factors, and snRNAs.</a> Molecular and Cellular Biology. 22 (7), 2011-2024 (2002).</li><li>Lourenco, R. F., Leme, A. F. P., Oliveira, C. 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The authors do not have conflicts of interest.

Protein-protein and ribonucleic acids-protein interactions can be stabilized using crosslinking agents. It is important that the resulting complex is stable to withstand ultracentrifugation on glycerol gradient. Additionally, the buffer conditions should allow the interaction, but be stringent enough to avoid non-specific binding. In the experiments shown here, we used a buffer solution already established for in vitro splicing reactions15.
The speed and time of centrif...

Splicing is a highly dynamic process that requires binding and release of a multitude of factors in a coordinated manner. These splicing factors include RNA binding proteins, ATPases, helicases, protein kinases and phosphatases, ubiquitin ligases, among others1,2,3; and to allow for the molecular rearrangements to take place, some of these factors bind very transiently to the spliceosome subcomplexes, making the isolation and identification of these RNP intermediate complexes very challenging.
Here, we used the Grafix method4,5 to stabilize the interaction of the yeast splicing factor Cwc24 with the Bact complex6 to allow for the identification of other factors bound concomitantly to that subcomplex and determine whether the ubiquitin ligase Prp19 plays any role in the binding or release of Cwc24 to the Nineteen (NTC) complex and to the 5&#8217; end of the intron before activation and the first transesterification reaction takes place. The advantage of exposing the macromolecules to an increasing concentration of the crosslinker along the glycerol gradient is that it avoids inter-complexes crosslinks4,5, and therefore, the formation of aggregates.
This method was used as a complementation to protein coimmunoprecipitation and pull-down assays, which, despite allowing the isolation of large complexes, may not be reliable for maintaining transient interactions within large dynamic complexes7,8. The use of fixation reagents in the glycerol gradient stabilizes the binding of such factors, allowing the confirmation of interactions of specific proteins with splicing subcomplexes. Because the chosen crosslinker was chemically irreversible, proteins present in the recovered fractions were analyzed by dot blot after the gradient centrifugation.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-Calmodulin Binding Protein Epitope</td>
			<td>Millipore</td>
			<td>07-482</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ECL anti-Rabbit IgG</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare</td>
			<td>NA934</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EconoSystem</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>1-800-424-6723</td>
			<td>Parts of the EconoSystem used: peristaltic pump, the UV detector and the fraction collector</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA-free Protease Inhibitor Cocktail</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>11873580001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fraction Recovery System</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>270-331580</td>
			<td>Tube-perforating device that was connected to the parts of the EconoSystem</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gradient Master Model 107ip</td>
			<td>Biocomp</td>
			<td>107-201M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mixer Mill MM 200</td>
			<td>Retsch</td>
			<td>207460001</td>
			<td>Ball Mill device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rotor F12-6x500Lex</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>096-062375</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sorvall RC 6 Plus Centrifuge</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>36-101-0816</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Swinging Bucket Rotor P40ST</td>
			<td>Hitachi</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ultracentrifuge CP 80 NX</td>
			<td>Hitachi</td>
			<td>901069</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ultra-Clear Centrifuge Tubes (14 x 89 mm)</td>
			<td>Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td>344059</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

utilization of grafix for the detection of transient interactors of saccharomyces cerevisiae spliceosome subcomplexes

Pre-mRNA splicing is a very dynamic process that involves many molecular rearrangements of the spliceosome subcomplexes during assembly, RNA processing, and release of the complex components. Glycerol gradient centrifugation has been used for the separation of protein or RNP (RiboNucleoProtein) complexes for functional and structural studies. Here, we describe the utilization of Grafix (Gradient Fixation), which was first developed to purify and stabilize macromolecular complexes for single particle cryo-electron microscopy, to identify interactions between splicing factors that bind transiently to the spliceosome complex. This method is based on the centrifugation of samples into an increasing concentration of a fixation reagent to stabilize complexes. After centrifugation of yeast total extracts loaded on glycerol gradients, recovered fractions are analyzed by dot blot for the identification of the spliceosome sub-complexes and determination of the presence of individual splicing factors.

To analyze the sedimentation profile of Cwc24-TAP and determine whether the Grafix method was effective to stabilize its binding to splicing subcomplexes, we separated total yeast extracts of cells expressing Cwc24-TAP through centrifugation on glycerol gradients, in the presence or absence of glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent. Samples of twenty-four 500 &#956;L fractions were then analyzed by slot blot with antibody against the CBP portion of the TAP tag. The results show that in the absence of the crosslinker, Cwc...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Utilization of Grafix for the Detection of Transient Interactors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spliceosome Subcomplexes at JoVE.com

Utilization of Grafix for the Detection of Transient Interactors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spliceosome Subcomplexes

Here, we describe the utilization of Grafix (Gradient Fixation), a glycerol gradient centrifugation in the presence of a crosslinker, to identify interactions between splicing factors that bind transiently to the spliceosome complex.

Utilization of Grafix for the Detection of Transient Interactors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spliceosome Subcomplexes

Pre-mRNA splicing is a very dynamic process that involves many molecular rearrangements of the spliceosome subcomplexes during assembly, RNA processing, ...

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Biochemistry

3.5K Views.  University of Sao Paulo. Here, we describe the utilization of Grafix (Gradient Fixation), a glycerol gradient centrifugation in the presence of a crosslinker, to identify interactions between splicing factors that bind transiently to the spliceosome complex.

Video: Utilization of Grafix for the Detection of Transient Interactors of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spliceosome Subcomplexes

Personalized Peptide Arrays for Detection of HLA Alloantibodies in Organ Transplantation

In organ transplantation, the function and longevity of the graft critically rely on the success of controlling immunological rejection reactivity against human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Histocompatibility guidelines are based on laboratory tests of anti-HLA immunity, which presents either as pre-existing or de novo generated HLA antibodies that constitute a major transplantation barrier. Current tests are built on a single-antigen beads (SAB) platform using a fixed set of ~100 preselected recombinant HLA antigens to probe transplant sera. However, in humans there exist a far greater variety of HLA types, with no two individuals other than identical twins who can share the same combination of HLA sequences. While advanced technologies for HLA typing and direct sequencing can precisely capture any mismatches in DNA sequence between a donor's and recipient's HLA, the SAB assay, due to its limited variety in sequence representation, is unable to precisely detect alloantibodies specifically against the donor HLA mismatches. We sought to develop a complementary method using a different technology to detect and characterize anti-donor HLA antibodies on a personalized basis. The screening tool is a custom peptide array of donor HLA-derived sequences for probing post-transplant sera of the organ recipient to assess the risk for antibody-mediated rejection. On a single array for one donor-recipient pair, up to 600 unique peptides are made based on the donor's HLA protein sequences, each peptide carrying at least one mismatched residue in a 15-amino acid sequence. In our pilot experiments to compare antigen patterns for pre- and post-transplant sera on these arrays, we were able to detect anti-HLA signals with the resolution that also allowed us to pinpoint the immune epitopes involved. These personalized antigen arrays allow high-resolution detection of donor-specific HLA epitopes in organ transplantation.

Mismatches in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) sequences between organ donor and recipient pairs are the major cause of antibody-mediated rejection in organ transplantation. Here we present the use of custom antigen arrays that are based on individual donors' HLA sequences to probe anti-donor HLA alloantibodies in organ recipients.

In organ transplantation, the function and longevity of the graft critically rely on the success of controlling immunological rejection reactivity against ...

Studying RNA Interactors of Protein Kinase RNA-Activated during the Mammalian Cell Cycle

Protein kinase RNA-activated (PKR) is a member of the innate immune response proteins and recognizes the double-stranded secondary structure of viral RNAs. When bound to viral double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), PKR undergoes dimerization and subsequent autophosphorylation. Phosphorylated PKR (pPKR) becomes active and induces phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2&#945;) to suppress global translation. Increasing evidence suggests that PKR can be activated under physiological conditions such as during the cell cycle or under various stress conditions without infection. However, our understanding of the RNA activators of PKR is limited due to the lack of a standardized experimental method to capture and analyze PKR-interacting dsRNAs. Here, we present an experimental protocol to specifically enrich and analyze PKR bound RNAs during the cell cycle using HeLa cells. We utilize the efficient crosslinking activity of formaldehyde to fix PKR-RNA complexes and isolate them via immunoprecipitation. PKR co-immunoprecipitated RNAs can then be further processed to generate a high-throughput sequencing library. One major class of PKR-interacting cellular dsRNAs is mitochondrial RNAs (mtRNAs), which can exist as intermolecular dsRNAs through complementary interaction between the heavy-strand and the light-strand RNAs. To study the strandedness of these duplex mtRNAs, we also present a protocol for strand-specific qRT-PCR. Our protocol is optimized for the analysis of PKR-bound RNAs, but it can be easily modified to study cellular dsRNAs or RNA-interactors of other dsRNA binding proteins.

We present experimental approaches for studying RNA-interactors of double-stranded RNA binding protein kinase RNA-activated (PKR) during the mammalian cell cycle using HeLa cells. This method utilizes formaldehyde to crosslink RNA-PKR complexes and immunoprecipitation to enrich PKR-bound RNAs. These RNAs can be further analyzed through high-throughput sequencing or qRT-PCR.

Protein kinase RNA-activated (PKR) is a member of the innate immune response proteins and recognizes the double-stranded secondary structure of viral ...

Study on the Metabolism of Six Systemic Insecticides in a Newly Established Cell Suspension Culture Derived from Tea (Camellia Sinensis L.) Leaves

A platform for studying insecticide metabolism using in vitro tissues of tea plant was developed. Leaves from sterile tea plantlets were induced to form loose callus on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal media with the plant hormones 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 1.0 mg L-1) and kinetin (KT, 0.1 mg L-1). Callus formed after 3 or 4 rounds of subculturing, each lasting 28 days. Loose callus (about 3 g) was then inoculated into B5 liquid media containing the same plant hormones and was cultured in a shaking incubator (120 rpm) in the dark at 25 &#177; 1 &#176;C. After 3&#8722;4 subcultures, a cell suspension derived from tea leaf was established at a subculture ratio ranging between 1:1 and 1:2 (suspension mother liquid: fresh medium). Using this platform, six insecticides (5 &#181;g mL-1 each thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, imidaclothiz, dimethoate, and omethoate) were added into the tea leaf-derived cell suspension culture. The metabolism of the insecticides was tracked using liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. To validate the usefulness of the tea cell suspension culture, the metabolites of thiamethoxan and dimethoate present in treated cell cultures and intact plants were compared using mass spectrometry. In treated tea cell cultures, seven metabolites of thiamethoxan and two metabolites of dimethoate were found, while in treated intact plants, only two metabolites of thiamethoxam and one of dimethoate were found. The use of a cell suspension simplified the metabolic analysis compared to the use of intact tea plants, especially for a difficult matrix such as tea.

Study on the Metabolism of Six Systemic Insecticides in a Newly Established Cell Suspension Culture Derived from Tea Camellia Sinensis L. Leaves

This work presents a protocol for establishing a cell suspension culture derived from tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaves that can be used to study the metabolism of external compounds that can be taken up by the whole plant, such as insecticides.

A platform for studying insecticide metabolism using in vitro tissues of tea plant was developed. Leaves from sterile tea plantlets were induced to form ...

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity

A crucial factor in improving cellular therapy effectiveness for myocardial regeneration is to safely and efficiently increase the cell engraftment rate. Y-27632 is a highly potent inhibitor of Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (RhoA/ROCK) and is used to prevent dissociation-induced cell apoptosis (anoikis). We demonstrate that Y-27632 pretreatment for human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs+RI) prior to implantation results in a cell engraftment rate improvement in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we describe a complete procedure of hiPSC-CMs differentiation, purification, and cell pretreatment with Y-27632, as well as the resulting cell contraction, calcium transient measurements, and transplantation into mouse MI models. The proposed method provides a simple, safe, effective, and low-cost method which significantly increases the cell engraftment rate. This method cannot only be used in conjunction with other methods to further enhance the cell transplantation efficiency but also provides a favorable basis for the study of the mechanisms of other cardiac diseases.

In this protocol, we demonstrate and elaborate on how to use human induced pluripotent stem cells for cardiomyocyte differentiation and purification, and further, on how to improve its transplantation efficiency with Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor pretreatment in a mouse myocardial infarction model.

A crucial factor in improving cellular therapy effectiveness for myocardial regeneration is to safely and efficiently increase the cell engraftment rate. ...

Quantitative Analysis of the Cellular Lipidome of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Lipids are structurally diverse amphipathic molecules that are insoluble in water. Lipids are essential contributors to the organization and function of biological membranes, energy storage and production, cellular signaling, vesicular transport of proteins, organelle biogenesis, and regulated cell death. Because the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a unicellular eukaryote amenable to thorough molecular analyses, its use as a model organism helped uncover mechanisms linking lipid metabolism and intracellular transport to complex biological processes within eukaryotic cells. The availability of a versatile analytical method for the robust, sensitive, and accurate quantitative assessment of major classes of lipids within a yeast cell is crucial for getting deep insights into these mechanisms. Here we present a protocol to use liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the quantitative analysis of major cellular lipids of S. cerevisiae. The LC-MS/MS method described is versatile and robust. It enables the identification and quantification of numerous species (including different isobaric or isomeric forms) within each of the 10 lipid classes. This method is sensitive and allows identification and quantitation of some lipid species at concentrations as low as 0.2 pmol/&#181;L. The method has been successfully applied to assessing lipidomes of whole yeast cells and their purified organelles. The use of alternative mobile phase additives for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in this method can increase the efficiency of ionization for some lipid species and can be therefore used to improve their identification and quantitation.

Quantitative Analysis of the Cellular Lipidome of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We present a protocol using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to identify and quantify major cellular lipids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The described method for a quantitative assessment of major lipid classes within a yeast cell is versatile, robust, and sensitive.

Lipids are structurally diverse amphipathic molecules that are insoluble in water. Lipids are essential contributors to the organization and function of ...

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenously expressed non-coding, ~21 nt small RNAs involved in the regulation of gene expression in both plants and animals. Most miRNAs act as negative switches of gene expression targeting key genes. In plants, primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) transcripts are generated by RNA polymerase II, and they form varying lengths of stable stem-loop structures called pre-miRNAs. An endonuclease, Dicer-like1, processes the pre-miRNAs into miRNA-miRNA* duplexes. One of the strands from miRNA-miRNA* duplex is selected and loaded onto Argonaute 1 protein or its homologs to mediate the cleavage of target mRNAs. Although miRNAs are key signaling molecules, their detection is often carried out by less than optimal PCR-based methods instead of a sensitive northern blot analysis. We describe a simple, reliable, and extremely sensitive northern method that is ideal for the quantification of miRNA levels with very high sensitivity, literally from any plant tissue. Additionally, this method can be used to confirm the size, stability and the abundance of miRNAs and their precursors.

This method demonstrates use of the northern hybridization technique to detect miRNAs from total RNA extract.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenously expressed non-coding, ~21 nt small RNAs involved in the regulation of gene expression in both plants and ...

Labelling and Visualization of Mitochondrial Genome Expression Products in Baker's Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mitochondria are essential organelles of eukaryotic cells capable of aerobic respiration. They contain circular genome and gene expression apparatus. A mitochondrial genome of baker&#8217;s yeast encodes eight proteins: three subunits of the cytochrome c oxidase (Cox1p, Cox2p, and Cox3p), three subunits of the ATP synthase (Atp6p, Atp8p, and Atp9p), a subunit of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase enzyme, cytochrome b (Cytb), and mitochondrial ribosomal protein Var1p. The purpose of the method described here is to specifically label these proteins with 35S methionine, separate them by electrophoresis and visualize the signals as discrete bands on the screen. The procedure involves several steps. First, yeast cells are cultured in a galactose-containing medium until they reach the late logarithmic growth stage. Next, cycloheximide treatment blocks cytoplasmic translation and allows 35S methionine incorporation only in mitochondrial translation products. Then, all proteins are extracted from yeast cells and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Finally, the gel is dried and incubated with the storage phosphor screen. The screen is scanned on a phosphorimager revealing the bands. The method can be applied to compare the biosynthesis rate of a single polypeptide in the mitochondria of a mutant yeast strain versus the wild type, which is useful for studying mitochondrial gene expression defects. This protocol gives valuable information about the translation rate of all yeast mitochondrial mRNAs. However, it requires several controls and additional experiments to make proper conclusions.

Labelling and Visualization of Mitochondrial Genome Expression Products in Baker's Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Baker&#8217;s yeast mitochondrial genome encodes eight polypeptides. The goal of the current protocol is to label all of them and subsequently visualize them as separate bands.

Mitochondria are essential organelles of eukaryotic cells capable of aerobic respiration. They contain circular genome and gene expression apparatus. A ...

Quantitative Metabolomics of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Metabolomics is a methodology used for the identification and quantification of many low-molecular-weight intermediates and products of metabolism within a cell, tissue, organ, biological fluid, or organism. Metabolomics traditionally focuses on water-soluble metabolites. The water-soluble metabolome is the final product of a complex cellular network that integrates various genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and environmental factors. Hence, the metabolomic analysis directly assesses the outcome of the action for all these factors in a plethora of biological processes within various organisms. One of these organisms is the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a unicellular eukaryote with the fully sequenced genome. Because S. cerevisiae is amenable to comprehensive molecular analyses, it is used as a model for dissecting mechanisms underlying many biological processes within the eukaryotic cell. A versatile analytical method for the robust, sensitive, and accurate quantitative assessment of the water-soluble metabolome would provide the essential methodology for dissecting these mechanisms. Here we present a protocol for the optimized conditions of metabolic activity quenching in and water-soluble metabolite extraction from S. cerevisiae cells. The protocol also describes the use of liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the quantitative analysis of the extracted water-soluble metabolites. The LC-MS/MS method of non-targeted metabolomics described here is versatile and robust. It enables the identification and quantification of more than 370 water-soluble metabolites with diverse structural, physical, and chemical properties, including different structural isomers and stereoisomeric forms of these metabolites. These metabolites include various energy carrier molecules, nucleotides, amino acids, monosaccharides, intermediates of glycolysis, and tricarboxylic cycle intermediates. The LC-MS/MS method of non-targeted metabolomics is sensitive and allows the identification and quantitation of some water-soluble metabolites at concentrations as low as 0.05 pmol/&#181;L. The method has been successfully used for assessing water-soluble metabolomes of wild-type and mutant yeast cells cultured under different conditions.

Quantitative Metabolomics of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We present a protocol for the identification and quantitation of major classes of water-soluble metabolites in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The described method is versatile, robust, and sensitive. It allows the separation of structural isomers and stereoisomeric forms of water-soluble metabolites from each other.

Metabolomics is a methodology used for the identification and quantification of many low-molecular-weight intermediates and products of metabolism within ...

Analysis of Neutral Lipid Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Metabolic Labeling and Thin Layer Chromatography

Neutral lipids (NLs) are a class of hydrophobic, chargeless biomolecules that play key roles in energy and lipid homeostasis. NLs are synthesized de novo&#160;from acetyl-CoA and are primarily present in eukaryotes in the form of triglycerides (TGs) and sterol-esters (SEs). The enzymes responsible for the synthesis of NLs are highly conserved from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) to humans, making yeast a useful model organism to dissect the function and regulation of NL metabolism enzymes. While much is known about how acetyl-CoA is converted into a diverse set of NL species, mechanisms for regulating NL metabolism enzymes, and how mis-regulation can contribute to cellular pathologies, are still being discovered. Numerous methods for the isolation and characterization of NL species have been developed and used over decades of research; however, a quantitative and simple protocol for the comprehensive characterization of major NL species has not been discussed. Here, a simple and adaptable method to quantify the de novo&#160;synthesis of major NL species in yeast is presented. We apply 14C-acetic acid metabolic labeling coupled with thin layer chromatography to separate and quantify a diverse range of physiologically important NLs. Additionally, this method can be easily applied to study in vivo reaction rates of NL enzymes or degradation of NL species over time.

Analysis of Neutral Lipid Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Metabolic Labeling and Thin Layer Chromatography

Here, a protocol is presented for the metabolic labeling of yeast with 14C-acetic acid, which is coupled with thin layer chromatography for the separation of neutral lipids.

Neutral lipids (NLs) are a class of hydrophobic, chargeless biomolecules that play key roles in energy and lipid homeostasis. NLs are synthesized de ...

Preparation and Cryo-FIB micromachining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Cryo-Electron Tomography

Today, cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is the only technique that can provide near-atomic resolution structural data on macromolecular complexes in situ. Owing to the strong interaction of an electron with the matter, high-resolution cryo-ET studies are limited to specimens with a thickness of less than 200 nm, which restricts the applicability of cryo-ET only to the peripheral regions of a cell. A complex workflow that comprises the preparation of thin cellular cross-sections by cryo-focused ion beam micromachining (cryo-FIBM) was introduced during the last decade to enable the acquisition of cryo-ET data from the interior of larger cells. We present a protocol for the preparation of cellular lamellae from a sample vitrified by plunge freezing utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a prototypical example of a eukaryotic cell with wide utilization in cellular and molecular biology research. We describe protocols for vitrification of S. cerevisiae into isolated patches of a few cells or a continuous monolayer of the cells on a TEM grid and provide a protocol for lamella preparation by cryo-FIB for these two samples.

Preparation and Cryo-FIB micromachining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Cryo-Electron Tomography

We present a protocol for lamella preparation of plunge frozen biological specimens by cryo-focused ion beam micromachining for high-resolution structural studies of macromolecules in situ with cryo-electron tomography. The presented protocol provides guidelines for the preparation of high-quality lamellae with high reproducibility for structural characterization of macromolecules inside the&#160;Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Today, cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is the only technique that can provide near-atomic resolution structural data on macromolecular complexes in ...