Name: PGC Cryopreservation â€“ An Alternative Approach Towards Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains (Video) | JoVE
Uploaded: 2023-12-01T12:20:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about PGC Cryopreservation â€“ An Alternative Approach Towards Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains at JoVE.com

We thank the KYOTO Drosophila Stock Center for fly strains. We also thank Ms. Wanda Miyata for English language editing of the manuscript and Dr. Jeremy Allen from Edanz (https://jp.edanz.com/ac) for editing a draft of this manuscript. This work was supported by grants (JP16km0210072, JP17km0210146, JP18km0210146) from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) to T.T.-S.-K., grants (JP16km0210073, JP17km0210147, JP18km0210145) from AMED to S.K., a grant (JP20km0210172) from AMED to T.T.-S.-K. and S.K., a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (JP19K06780) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) to T.T.-S.-K., and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (JP18H05552) from JSPS&#160;to S.K.

1. Equipment preparation
<ol>
	<li>Micromanipulator system: Assemble a micromanipulator system to collect and transplant cells (Figure 1A).</li>
	<li>PGC-collection glass slides (Figure 2A)
	<ol>
		<li>To prepare heptane glue, cut approximately 30 cm long double-sided tape and soak it overnight in 7 mL of technical (regular)-grade heptane solution.</li>
		<li>Draw two parallel reference lines for embryo alignment on the back of a glass slide.<...

Cryopreservation of PGCs for Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains

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L., Fish, M. B., Cho, K. W. Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Leapfrogging:+primordial+germ+cell+transplantation+permits+recovery+of+CRISPR/Cas9-induced+mutations+in+essential+genes.">Leapfrogging: primordial germ cell transplantation permits recovery of CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutations in essential genes.</a> Development. 143 (15), 2868-2875 (2016).</li><li>Koslov&#225;, 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=Precise+CRISPR/Cas9+editing+of+the+NHE1+gene+renders+chickens+resistant+to+the+J+subgroup+of+avian+leukosis+virus.">Precise CRISPR/Cas9 editing of the NHE1 gene renders chickens resistant to the J subgroup of avian leukosis virus.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 117 (4), 2108-2112 (2020).</li><li>Zhang, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+generation+of+zebrafish+maternal-zygotic+mutants+through+transplantation+of+ectopically+induced+and+Cas9/gRNA+targeted+primordial+germ+cells.">Efficient generation of zebrafish maternal-zygotic mutants through transplantation of ectopically induced and Cas9/gRNA targeted primordial germ cells.</a> J Genet Genom. 47 (1), 37-47 (2020).</li><li>Campos-Ortega, J. A., Hartenstein, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Stages+of+Drosophila+Embryogenesis.">Stages of Drosophila Embryogenesis.</a> The Embryonic Development of Drosophila. , (1997).</li><li>Manning, 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+sperm+factor+affecting+the+receptivity+of+Drosophila+melanogaster+females.">A sperm factor affecting the receptivity of Drosophila melanogaster females.</a> Nature. 194, 252-253 (1962).</li><li>Kubli, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sex-peptides:+seminal+peptides+of+the+Drosophila+male.">Sex-peptides: seminal peptides of the Drosophila male.</a> Cell Mol Life Sci. 60, 1689-1704 (2003).</li><li>Lehmann, R., N&#252;sslein-Volhard, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Abdominal+segmentation,+pole+cell+formation,+and+embryonic+polarity+require+the+localized+activity+of+oskar,+a+maternal+gene+in+drosophila.">Abdominal segmentation, pole cell formation, and embryonic polarity require the localized activity of oskar, a maternal gene in drosophila.</a> Cell. 47 (1), 141-152 (1986).</li><li>Kiger, A. A., Gigliotti, S., Fuller, M. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Developmental+genetics+of+the+essential+Drosophila+Nucleoporin+nup154:+allelic+differences+due+to+an+outward-directed+promoter+in+the+P-element+3&#8242;+end.">Developmental genetics of the essential Drosophila Nucleoporin nup154: allelic differences due to an outward-directed promoter in the P-element 3&#8242; end.</a> Genetics. 153 (2), 799-812 (1999).</li><li>Rienzi, L. F., 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=Perspectives+in+gamete+and+embryo+cryopreservation.">Perspectives in gamete and embryo cryopreservation.</a> Semin Reprod Med. 36 (5), 253-264 (2018).</li></ol>

A critical factor for success in PGC cryopreservation and revival is to use good embryos. Young females (e.g., 3- to 5-day-old) should be used for embryo collection. Both donor and host embryos are assessed by microscopic inspection, and only those at the blastoderm stage (stage 5) are used12. For PGC collection, we usually align approximately 40 donor embryos in a 20 min period and collect PGCs from approximately 30 embryos at early stage 5; older and defective embryos are not used. After cryopre...

The maintenance of Drosophila strains by the transfer of adult flies to new food vials inevitably results in the accumulation of mutations and epigenetic changes over time. Development of an alternative method for long-term maintenance of Drosophila strains without such changes is imperative, especially for reference strains in which the whole genome has to be maintained. Several successful attempts to cryopreserve Drosophila embryos or ovaries have been described1,2,3. Unfortunately, they are still not of practical use because of low reproducibility. Indeed, early-stage embryos have a low survival rate after cryopreservation because of their high yolk content, which impedes cryoprotective agent (CPA) permeation and diffusion2,3. CPA permeability is also severely limited by the waxy layers of late-stage embryos. It is difficult and time-consuming to find a strain-specific time period in which embryos have a high survival rate and a thinner wax layer. Recently, Zhan et al.4 improved methods for embryo permeabilization, CPA loading, and vitrification and successfully cryopreserved embryos of multiple strains. However, the methods are not easy to apply because the viability of embryos after permeabilization tends to be poor. Therefore, further improvement and development of alternative approaches are still needed. Methods involving the cryopreservation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) are an alternative approach for the long-term maintenance of Drosophila strains.
PGC (also called pole cell) transplantation has been used to generate germline chimeras, especially females, to study processes such as maternal effects of zygotic lethal mutations and sex determination of germ cells5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. PGCs are much smaller than embryos and are likely to be highly permeable to most cryoprotectants. Furthermore, developmental and morphological variation among strains is less problematic, and an agametic host enables quick restoration of whole genomes. We recently developed a new method of PGC cryopreservation13, which prevents the otherwise inevitable genetic and epigenetic changes in Drosophila strains. Here, we present the detailed protocol.
This cryopreservation method requires specific expertise in PGC handling and instrumentation. While a step-by-step approach may be an efficient solution for those who are unfamiliar with it, it may be unsuitable for small laboratories due to instrumentation requirements. This PGC cryopreservation protocol can be more easily adapted for use with different Drosophila species and different insect species than embryo cryopreservation protocols because of smaller developmental and morphological differences. PGCs can also potentially be used in genetic engineering applications, such as genome editing14,15,16. In summary, this method can be used in stock centers and other laboratories to maintain fly and other insect strains for prolonged periods of time without changes.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Acetic acid</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>017-00256</td>
			<td>For embryo collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agar powder</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>010-08725</td>
			<td>For embryo collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Calcium chloride</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>038-24985</td>
			<td>For EBR solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Capillary</td>
			<td>Sutter Instrument</td>
			<td>B100-75-10-PT</td>
			<td>BOROSILICATE GLASS; O.D: 1.0mm, I.D: 0.75mm , length: 10cm, 225Pcs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Capillary holder</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>5196 081.005</td>
			<td>Capillary holder 4; for micromanipulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chromic acid mixture</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>037-05415</td>
			<td>For needle washing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CPA solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1x EBR containing 20% ethylene glycol and 1M sucrose</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Double-sided tape</td>
			<td>3M</td>
			<td>Scotch w-12</td>
			<td>For glue extracting</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ephrussi&#8211;Beadle Ringer solution (EBR)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>130 mM NaCl, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl2, and 10 mM Hepes at pH 6.9</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol (99.5)</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>057-00451</td>
			<td>For embryo collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethylene glycol</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>054-00983</td>
			<td>For CPA solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon 50 mm x 9 mm bacteriological petri dish</td>
			<td>Corning Inc.</td>
			<td>351006</td>
			<td>For embryo collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forceps</td>
			<td>Vigor</td>
			<td>Type5 Titan</td>
			<td>For embryo handling</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Grape juice</td>
			<td>Asahi Soft Drinks Co., LTD.</td>
			<td>Welch&#39;s Grape 100</td>
			<td>For embryo collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Grape juice agar plate</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>50% grape juice, 2% agar, 1% ethanol, 1% acetic acid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heptane</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>084-08105</td>
			<td>For glue extracting</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Humidifier</td>
			<td>APIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.</td>
			<td>FSWD2201-WH</td>
			<td>For embryo preparation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Inverted microscope</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems GmbH</td>
			<td>Leica&#160;DM IL LED</td>
			<td>For micromanipulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Luer-lock glass syringe</td>
			<td>Tokyo Garasu Kikai Co., Ltd.</td>
			<td>0550 14 71 08</td>
			<td>Coat a plunger with silicon oil (FL-100-450CS);for micromanipulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mechanical micromanipulator</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems GmbH</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For micromanipulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro slide glass</td>
			<td>Matsunami Glass Ind., Ltd.</td>
			<td>S-2441</td>
			<td>For embryo aligning</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microgrinder</td>
			<td>NARISHIGE Group</td>
			<td>Custom order</td>
			<td>EG-401-S combined EG-401 and MF2 (with ocular lens MF2-LE15 ); for needle preparation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope camera</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems GmbH</td>
			<td>Leica MC170 HD</td>
			<td>For micromanipulation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needle holder</td>
			<td>Merck KGaA</td>
			<td>Eppendorf TransferTip (ES)</td>
			<td>For cryopreservation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium chloride</td>
			<td>Nacalai Tesque, Inc.</td>
			<td>28514-75</td>
			<td>For EBR solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Puller</td>
			<td>NARISHIGE Group</td>
			<td>PN-31</td>
			<td>For needle preparation; the heater level is set to 85.0-98.4, the magnet main level to 57.8, and the magnet sub level to 45.0.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PVC adhesive tape for electric insulation</td>
			<td>Nitto Denko Corporation</td>
			<td>&#160;J2515</td>
			<td>For embryo-pool frame</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Silicon oil</td>
			<td>Shin-Etsu Chemical, Co, Ltd.</td>
			<td>FL-100-450CS</td>
			<td>For embryo handling</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Nacalai Tesque, Inc.</td>
			<td>31320-05</td>
			<td>For EBR solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium hypochlorite solution</td>
			<td>FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation</td>
			<td>197-02206</td>
			<td>Undiluted and freshly prepared; for embryo breaching</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sucrose</td>
			<td>Nacalai Tesque, Inc.</td>
			<td>30404-45</td>
			<td>For CPA solution</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

primordial germ cell cryopreservation and revival of drosophila strains

Drosophila strains must be maintained by the frequent transfer of adult flies to new vials. This carries a danger of mutational deterioration and phenotypic changes. Development of an alternative method for long-term preservation without such changes is therefore imperative. Despite previous successful attempts, cryopreservation of Drosophila embryos is still not of practical use because of low reproducibility. Here, we describe a protocol for primordial germ cell (PGC) cryopreservation and strain revival via transplantation of cryopreserved PGCs into agametic Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) host embryos. PGCs are highly permeable to cryoprotective agents (CPAs), and developmental and morphological variation among strains is less problematic than in embryo cryopreservation. In this method, PGCs are collected from approximately 30 donor embryos, loaded into a needle after CPA treatment, and then cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. To produce donor-derived gametes, the cryopreserved PGCs in a needle are thawed and then deposited into approximately 15&#160;agametic host embryos. A frequency of at least 15% fertile flies was achieved with this protocol, and the number of progeny per fertile couple was always more than enough to revive the original strain (the average progeny number being 77.2 &#177; 7.1), indicating the ability of cryopreserved PGCs to become germline stem cells. The average number of fertile flies per needle was 1.1 &#177; 0.2, and 9 out of 26 needles produced two or more fertile progeny. It was found that 11 needles are enough to produce 6 or more progeny, in which at least one female and one male are likely included. The agametic host makes it possible to revive the strain quickly by simply crossing newly emerged female and male flies. In addition, PGCs have the potential to be used in genetic engineering applications, such as genome editing.

Primordial Germ Cell Cryopreservation and Revival of Drosophila Strains

The efficiency of cryopreserved PGC transplantation has been reported by Asaoka et al.13 and is given in Table 2 for transplantation of PGCs cryopreserved for 1 day or longer in liquid nitrogen. The hatching rate was 168/208 transplanted embryos (80.8%), and the embryo-to-adult viability was 87/208 (41.8%). The frequency of fertile flies was 28/87 (32.2%). This frequency did not differ between PGCs cryopreserved for 8 to 30 days and&#160;for those cryopreserved for 31-150 days (20...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about PGC Cryopreservation â€“ An Alternative Approach Towards Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains at JoVE.com

PGC Cryopreservation â€“ An Alternative Approach Towards Long-Term Preservation of Drosophila Strains (Video) | JoVE

A long-term preservation method for Drosophila strains as an alternative to the frequent transfer of adult flies to fresh food vials is highly desirable. This protocol describes the cryopreservation of Drosophila primordial germ cells and strain revival via their transplantation to agametic host embryos.