Our work is supported by grants from NIH/NIGMS, NSF, USDA/NIFA, and BARD to VC.

Background
Symplastic transport of macromolecules through plant intercellular connections, the plasmodesmata, is of interest to many plant pathologists and biologists. For example, several viral proteins are known to regulate plasmodesmal size exclusion limits to enable viral movement1-3. Also, some endogenous proteins, among them important developmental regulators, are assumed to move from cell to cell, presumably through plasmodesmata, to function non-cell-autonomously4. Thus, a reliable methodology to identify and visualize macromolecular transport between plant cells is much in demand.
1)Grow the target plants
For high transformation efficiency, healthy, robust plants should be used.
1. Arabidopsis plants 
Grow one Arabidopsis plant on Pro-Mix BX in a pot (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) in an environment-controlled chamber with a short photoperiod (8 hr of 130-150 &mu;E m-2 s-1 light at 23&deg;C/16 hr dark at 20&deg;C) and 40-65% relative humidity for 6 to 8 weeks5. Fertilize them occasionally with commercially available products as described5. Leaves with the size larger than 15 mm x 35 mm (the length measurement includes petiole) are selected for the experiments.
2. N. benthamiana and N. tabacum
Grow one plant on Pro-Mix BX in a pot (20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm) in an environment-controlled chamber with a long photoperiod (16 hr of 130-150 &mu;E m-2 s-1 light at 23&deg;C/8 hr dark at 20&deg;C) and 40-65% relative humidity for 7 to 10 weeks. Fertilize them occasionally with commercially available products as describe. Leaves with size larger than 50 mm x 70 mm for N. benthamiana, or 100 mm x 125 mm for N. tabacum (these length measurements do not include petiole) are selected for the experiments.
2) Preparation of the Gene Gun Cartridge with DNA-coated Gold Microparticles
The protocol for this experimental step has been described in detail previously6. It is very important to use well purified plasmid DNA at high concentrations (~1 &mu;g/&mu;l) to obtain the highest transformation efficiency for the ease of confocal microscopy analysis during the later stages of the experiment.
For this assay, it is important to ascertain that the prepared cartridge does not transform two or more adjacent cells simultaneously at high frequency, because the numbers of cells associating with a fluorescent signal cluster is used as an indicator of the extent of symplastic transport (i.e., a single cell containing the signal indicates no movement, whereas a multicell signal cluster indicates movement). The quality of the each cartridge can be checked by analyzing the expression of the protein 16-20 hours post bombardment. Our protocol6 produces cartridges that yield multicell expression clusters only in &lt;3% of all expression events in this time frame, thus suitable for this experiment.
3) Biolistic Delivery of DNA-coated Microparticles
<ol>
	<li>Remove the leaves of the same developmental stage (i.e. with the same size and same age, see step 1) with a sharp razor blade and immediately place them with the abaxial sides facing up onto a flat Styrofoam surface. The abaxial side of the leaf represents a better substrate for bombardment due to its lower trichome density and thinner cuticle. Arabidopsis leaves, because of their relatively small size, should be covered with a piece of window screen mesh, and the mesh then secured with pushpins to the Styrofoam surface. Maintaining leaves flat increases the efficiency of the particle delivery and minimizes the damage to the tissue during microbombardment.</li>
	<li>Insert the cartridge with DNA-coated microparticles (prepared in step 1) into the gun. For Arabidopsis, the shooting is performed at pressures of 80-110 psi for 1-&mu;m microparticles, and 140-160 psi for 0.6-&mu;m microparticles. For N. benthamiana and tobacco, the shooting is performed at pressures of 100-120 psi for 1-&mu;m microparticles, and 160-180 psi for 0.6-&mu;m microparticles. For Arabidopsis, we usually utilize one cartridge per leaf, because each leaf has enough surface area only for one shot which spreads microparticles over an area of 10-12 mm in diameter. With larger N. benthamiana and tobacco leaves, multiple bombardments of the same leaf are possible, however, they must be done at the symmetrical positions on each side of the mid-rib to target the leaf areas at the same developmental stage (see Discussion).</li>
	<li>Remove the leaves from the Styrofoam surface and place them into a Petri dish on 3 layers of wet Whatman filter paper, seal the Petri dish with Parafilm, and incubate it at room temperature for 36-48 hr to allow expression of the delivered transgenes and potential cell-to-cell movement of their protein products.</li>
</ol>
4) Imaging of Protein Expression
The fluorescent signal of the transiently expressed tagged proteins is visualized by confocal microscopy. Care should be taken to find optimal microscopy settings for detection of each tested protein. For example, proteins that show limited intracellular accumulation with weak signal intensities, such as the plasmodesmal localization of the Tobacco mosaic virus movement protein (TMV MP)1-3,6, should be observed under a 40X objective lens, which affords higher resolution and sensitivity, whereas proteins that show cytoplasmic distribution with strong signal intensities, such as free YFP, can be visualized under a 10X objective lens with confocal zoom function for faster imaging (see Figure 1).
Symplastic transport is inferred from the appearance of multicell clusters that contain the fluorescent signal. The number of such clusters and number of cells in each cluster is indicative of the extent of cell-to-cell transport. To obtain reliable data, at least 100 expression clusters should be recorded per each experimental system. For example, if the cell-to-cell movement of a protein is compared in two different genetic backgrounds (e.g., wild type and transgenic plants), of a total 200 expression clusters should be recorded. Importantly, experiments, the results of which are to be compared to each other, should be carried out simultaneously.
5. Representative Results
The figure below illustrates representative experiments for detection of symplastic transport of fluorescently tagged proteins. Panels A and B show the typical confocal images that are obtained following microbombardment of a N. benthamiana leaf with a TMV MP-YFP-expressing construct. In panel A, symplastic movement of TMV MP-YFP is observed based on the appearance of multicell clusters of the YFP signal. Not all transiently expressed TMV MP-YFP is able to move as evidenced by single-cell signal in some microbombardments (panel B). Statistically, in &lt;40% of the counted signal clusters, TMV MP-YFP is unable to move between cells whereas in &gt;60% of the clusters, the protein moves between 2-5 cells, with the two-cell spread being the most frequent (ca. ~50% cases) (Figure 1C).
The proteins with relatively small molecular size without innate movement activity can diffuse through PD to move cell-to-cell. For example, free YFP, or 1xYFP (ca. 27 kDa, panel D), spreads between several cells in 30% of the counted clusters (panels C). This non-specific diffusion does not occur for a translational YFP dimmer, or 2xYFP (54 kDa, panel E), which is comparable in size to TMV MP-YFP fusion protein (57 kDa), and which is completely cell-autonomous (Figure 1C).
<img src="/files/ftp_upload/2208/2208fig1.jpg" alt="Figure 1" /> 
Figure 1.Typical results obtained from the symplastic transport assay in N. benthamiana leaf tissues. (A, B) Visualization of TMV MP-YFP. (C) Quantitation of signal clusters. 1xYFP and 2xYFP, free YFP and translational YFP dimer, respectively. (D) Visualization of 1xYFP. (E) Visualization of 2xYFP. In micrographs, the left panels show the YFP signal and the right panels show merged images of YFP (in green) and chloroplast autofluorescence (in white) signals. Images are single confocal sections. Asterisks in the micrographs show the epidermal cells showing YFP signal. Bars = 50 &mu;m.

<ol>
	<li>Waigmann, E., Ueki, S., Trutnyeva, K., Citovsky, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+ins+and+outs+of+non-destructive+cell-to-cell+and+systemic+movement+of+plant+viruses.+.">The ins and outs of non-destructive cell-to-cell and systemic movement of plant viruses. .</a> Crit Rev Plant Sci. 23, 195-250 (2004).</li><li>Lucas, W. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Plant+viral+movement+proteins:+agents+for+cell-to-cell+trafficking+of+viral+genomes.">Plant viral movement proteins: agents for cell-to-cell trafficking of viral genomes.</a> Virology. 344, 169-184 (2006).</li><li>Epel, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Plant+viruses+spread+by+diffusion+on+ER-associated+movement-protein-rafts+through+plasmodesmata+gated+by+viral+induced+host+beta-1,3-glucanases.">Plant viruses spread by diffusion on ER-associated movement-protein-rafts through plasmodesmata gated by viral induced host beta-1,3-glucanases.</a> Semin Cell Dev Biol. 20, 1074-1081 (2009).</li><li>Zambryski, P. C., Crawford, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Plasmodesmata:+gatekeepers+for+cell-to-cell+transport+of+developmental+signals+in+plants.">Plasmodesmata: gatekeepers for cell-to-cell transport of developmental signals in plants.</a> Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 16, 393-421 (2000).</li><li>Rivero-Lepinckas, L., Crist, D., Scholl, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Growth+of+plants+and+presercation+of+seeds.">Growth of plants and presercation of seeds.</a> Methods Mol Biol. 323, 3-12 (2006).</li><li>Ueki, S., Lacroix, B., Krichevsky, A., Lazarowitz, S. G., Citovsky, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+transient+genetic+transformation+of+Arabidopsis+leaves+by+biolistic+bombardment.">Functional transient genetic transformation of Arabidopsis leaves by biolistic bombardment.</a> Nat Protoc. 4, 71-77 (2009).</li><li>Oparka, K. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simple,+but+not+branched,+plasmodesmata+allow+the+nonspecific+trafficking+of+proteins+in+developing+tobacco+leaves.">Simple, but not branched, plasmodesmata allow the nonspecific trafficking of proteins in developing tobacco leaves.</a> Cell. 97, 743-754 (1999).</li><li>Imlau, A., Truernit, E., Sauer, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell-to-cell+and+long-distance+trafficking+of+the+green+fluorescent+protein+in+the+phloem+and+symplastic+unloading+of+the+protein+into+sink+tissues.">Cell-to-cell and long-distance trafficking of the green fluorescent protein in the phloem and symplastic unloading of the protein into sink tissues.</a> Plant Cell. 11, 309-322 (1999).</li><li>Gisel, A., Barella, S., Hempel, F. D., Zambryski, P. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Temporal+and+spatial+regulation+of+symplastic+trafficking+during+development+in+Arabidopsis+thaliana+apices.">Temporal and spatial regulation of symplastic trafficking during development in Arabidopsis thaliana apices.</a> Development. 126, 1879-1889 (1999).</li><li>Kim, I., Cho, E., Crawford, K. M., Hempel, F. D., Zambryski, P. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell-to-cell+movement+of+GFP+during+embryogenesis+and+early+seedling+development+in+Arabidopsis.">Cell-to-cell movement of GFP during embryogenesis and early seedling development in Arabidopsis.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 102, 2227-2231 (2005).</li><li>Crawford, K. M., Zambryski, P. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Non-targeted+and+targeted+protein+movement+through+plasmodesmata+in+leaves+in+different+developmental+and+physiological+states.">Non-targeted and targeted protein movement through plasmodesmata in leaves in different developmental and physiological states.</a> Plant Physiol. 125, 1802-1812 (2001).</li><li>Roberts, A. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phloem+unloading+in+sink+leaves+of+Nicotiana+benthamiana:+comparison+of+a+fluorescent+solute+with+a+fluorescent+virus.">Phloem unloading in sink leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana: comparison of a fluorescent solute with a fluorescent virus.</a> Plant Cell. 9, 1381-1396 (1997).</li><li>Guenoune-Gelbart, D., Elbaum, M., Sagi, G., Levy, A., Epel, B. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tobacco+mosaic+virus+(TMV)+replicase+and+movement+protein+function+synergistically+in+facilitating+TMV+spread+by+lateral+diffusion+in+the+plasmodesmal+desmotubule+of+Nicotiana+benthamiana.">Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) replicase and movement protein function synergistically in facilitating TMV spread by lateral diffusion in the plasmodesmal desmotubule of Nicotiana benthamiana.</a> Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 21, 335-345 (2008).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

The key for the success of the symplastic transport assay is to obtain high transformation efficiency, which allows production of statistically significant and easily detectible signal clusters. This can be achieved using the leaves harvested from healthy, robust plants, and preparing gold particles coated by a pure and concentrated DNA preparation.
Using the leaves at the same growth stage is also vital for the assay reliability. Plasmodesmal aperture is known to be differentially regulated, depending on the developmental stage of the tissue7-11. Leaves of many plant species develop basipetally, from apex to base, with the apical part of the leaf being more mature than its basal part12. Thus, not only the developmental stage of the leaves (usually reflected by their size and location on the stem) selected for each set of experiments should be identical, but the leaf areas targeted by microbombardment should be located at the identical positions.
Some earlier studies have employed cell-autonomous markers, such as the endoplasmic reticulum-tethered GFP (erGFP)11, to distinguish initially transformed cells from those to which the tested protein has moved by symplastic transport. However, a later study showed that simultaneous expression of some non-cell-autonomous proteins with erGFP could induce its cell-to-cell movement13, questioning the reliability of erGFP as initial transformation markers and substantially increasing the difficulty in interpretation of the data from such coexpression experiments. Thus, we prefer to avoid introducing expression of another protein into our movement assay, and, instead, rely on statistical analysis of signal cluster numbers.

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<td>Gold microparticles, 1.0 &mu;m in diameter</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2262</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Gold microparticles, 0.6 &mu;m in diameter</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2263</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Spermidine</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>S0266-1G</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Tefzel tubing</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2441</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Helios cartridge preparatory station</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2420</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<td>Tubing cutter</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2422</td>
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<td>Helios gene gun</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>165-2432</td>
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<td>Helium gas regulator</td>
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a cell-to-cell macromolecular transport assay in planta utilizing biolistic bombardment

Here, we present a simple and rapid protocol to detect and assess the extent of cell-to-cell macromolecular transport in planta. In this protocol, a fluorescently tagged-protein of interest is transiently expressed in plant tissue following biolistic delivery of its encoding DNA construct. The intra- and intercellular distribution of the tagged protein is then analyzed by confocal microscopy. We describe this technology in detail, providing step-by-step protocols to assay and evaluate the extent of symplastic protein transport in three plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana and N. tabacum (tobacco).

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment at JoVE.com

A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment

Macromolecular trafficking between plant cells can be assessed by transiently expressing a fluorescently-tagged protein of interest and analyzing its intra- and intercellular distribution by confocal microscopy.

A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment

Here, we present a simple and rapid protocol to detect and assess the extent of cell-to-cell macromolecular transport in planta. In this protocol, a ...

a-cell-to-cell-macromolecular-transport-assay-planta-utilizing

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

11.8K Views.  State University of New York at Stony Brook. Macromolecular trafficking between plant cells can be assessed by transiently expressing a fluorescently-tagged protein of interest and analyzing its intra- and intercellular distribution by confocal microscopy.

Video: A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment

Preparation of Gene Gun Bullets and Biolistic Transfection of Neurons in Slice Culture

Biolistic transfection is a physical means of transfecting cells by bombarding tissue with high velocity DNA coated particles. We provide a detailed protocol for biolistic transfection of rat hippocampal slices, from the initial preparation of DNA coated bullets to the final shooting of the organotypic slice cultures using a gene gun. Gene gun transfection is an efficient and easy means of transfecting neurons and is especially useful for fluorescently labeling a small subset of cells in tissue slice. In this video, we first outline the steps required to coat gold particles with DNA. We next demonstrate how to line the inside of plastic tubing with the gold/DNA bullets, and how to cut this tubing to obtain the plastic cartridges for loading into the gene gun. Finally, we perform biolistic transfection of rat hippocampal slice cultures, demonstrating handling of the Bio-Rad Helios gene gun, and offering trouble shooting advice to obtain healthy and optimally transfected tissue slices.  

We describe a method for preparing DNA coated gold bullets and demonstrate the use of such bullets to biolistically transfect neurons in cultured hippocampal slices.

Biolistic transfection is a physical means of transfecting cells by bombarding tissue with high velocity DNA coated particles. We provide a detailed ...

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Microbial growth and transport in porous media have important implications for the quality of groundwater and surface water, the recycling of nutrients in the environment, as well as directly for the transmission of pathogens to drinking water supplies. Natural porous media is composed of an intricate physical topology, varied surface chemistries, dynamic gradients of nutrients and electron acceptors, and a patchy distribution of microbes. These features vary substantially over a length scale of microns, making the results of macro-scale investigations of microbial transport difficult to interpret, and the validation of mechanistic models challenging. Here we demonstrate how simple microfluidic devices can be used to visualize microbial interactions with micro-structured habitats, to identify key processes influencing the observed phenomena, and to systematically validate predictive models. Simple, easy-to-use flow cells were constructed out of the transparent, biocompatible and oxygen-permeable material poly(dimethyl siloxane). Standard methods of photolithography were used to make micro-structured masters, and replica molding was used to cast micro-structured flow cells from the masters. The physical design of the flow cell chamber is adaptable to the experimental requirements: microchannels can vary from simple linear connections to complex topologies with feature sizes as small as 2 &mu;m. Our modular EcoChip flow cell array features dozens of identical chambers and flow control by a gravity-driven flow module. We demonstrate that through use of EcoChip devices, physical structures and pressure heads can be held constant or varied systematically while the influence of surface chemistry, fluid properties, or the characteristics of the microbial population is investigated. Through transport experiments using a non-pathogenic, green fluorescent protein-expressing Vibrio bacterial strain, we illustrate the importance of habitat structure, flow conditions, and inoculums size on fundamental transport phenomena, and with real-time particle-scale observations, demonstrate that microfluidics offer a compelling view of a hidden world.

Microfluidic devices can be used to visualize complex natural processes in real time and at the appropriate physical scales. We have developed a simple microfluidic device that mimics key features of natural porous media for studying growth and transport of bacteria in the subsurface.

Microbial growth and transport in porous media have important implications for the quality of groundwater and surface water, the recycling of nutrients in ...

Generation of Transgenic C. elegans by Biolistic Transformation

The number of laboratories using the free living nematode C. elegans is rapidly growing. The popularity of this biological model is attributed to a rapid generation time and short life span, easy and inexpensive maintenance, fully sequenced genome, and array of RNAi resources and mutant animals. Additionally, analysis of the C. elegans genome revealed a great similarity between worms and higher vertebrates, which suggests that research in worms could be an important adjunct to studies performed in whole mice or cultured cells. A powerful and important part of worm research is the ability to use transgenic animals to study gene localization and function. Transgenic animals can be created either via microinjection of the worm germline or through the use of biolistic bombardment. Bombardment is a newer technique and is less familiar to a number of labs. Here we describe a simple protocol to generate transgenic worms by biolistic bombardment with gold particles using the Bio-Rad PDS-1000 system. Compared with DNA microinjection into hermaphrodite germline, this protocol has the advantage of not requiring special skills from the operator with regards to identifying worm anatomy or performing microinjection. Further multiple transgenic lines are usually obtained from a single bombardment. Also in contrast to microinjection, biolistic bombardment produces transgenic animals with both extrachromosomal arrays and integrated transgenes. The ability to obtain integrated transgenic lines can avoid the use of mutagenic protocols to integrate foreign DNA. In conclusion, biolistic bombardment can be an attractive method for the generation of transgenic animals, especially for investigators not interested in investing the time and effort needed to become skilled at microinjection.

Generation of Transgenic C. elegans by Biolistic Transformation

Transgenic worms are commonly used in C. elegans research. Described is a simple, yet effective, protocol to introduce transgenes into worms using biolistic bombardment with DNA-coated gold particles. The effort involved and results of bombardment compare favorably with microinjection for the generation of transgenic animals.

The number of laboratories using the free living nematode C. elegans is rapidly growing. The popularity of this biological model is attributed to a rapid ...

Agrobacterium-Mediated Virus-Induced Gene Silencing Assay In Cotton

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Considerable efforts have been made on molecular breeding of new varieties. The large-scale gene functional analysis in cotton has been lagged behind most of the modern plant species, likely due to its large size of genome, gene duplication and polyploidy, long growth cycle and recalcitrance to genetic transformation1. To facilitate high throughput functional genetic/genomic study in cotton, we attempt to develop rapid and efficient transient assays to assess cotton gene functions.
Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) is a powerful technique that was developed based on the host Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) to repress viral proliferation2,3. Agrobacterium-mediated VIGS has been successfully applied in a wide range of dicots species such as Solanaceae, Arabidopsis and legume species, and monocots species including barley, wheat and maize, for various functional genomic studies3,4. As this rapid and efficient approach avoids plant transformation and overcomes functional redundancy, it is particularly attractive and suitable for functional genomic study in crop species like cotton not amenable for transformation.
In this study, we report the detailed protocol of Agrobacterium-mediated VIGS system in cotton. Among the several viral VIGS vectors, the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) invades a wide range of hosts and is able to spread vigorously throughout the entire plant yet produce mild symptoms on the hosts5. To monitor the silencing efficiency, GrCLA1, a homolog gene of Arabidopsis Cloroplastos alterados 1 gene (AtCLA1) in cotton, has been cloned and inserted into the VIGS binary vector pYL156. CLA1 gene is involved in chloroplast development6, and previous studies have shown that loss-of-function of AtCLA1 resulted in an albino phenotype on true leaves7, providing an excellent visual marker for silencing efficiency. At approximately two weeks post Agrobacterium infiltration, the albino phenotype started to appear on the true leaves, with 100% silencing efficiency in all replicated experiments. The silencing of endogenous gene expression was also confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. Significantly, silencing could potently occur in all the cultivars we tested, including various commercially grown varieties in Texas. This rapid and efficient Agrobacterium-mediated VIGS assay provides a very powerful tool for rapid large-scale analysis of gene functions at genome-wide level in cotton.

We present the detailed protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assay in cotton. The tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-derived VIGS vectors were deployed to induce RNA silencing of cotton GrCLA1, Cloroplastos alterados 1 gene. The albino phenotype caused by silencing GrCLA1 was observed at the seedling stage within 2 weeks after inoculation.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is one of the most important crops worldwide. Considerable efforts have been made on molecular breeding of new varieties.  The ...

In Vitro Analysis of PDZ-dependent CFTR Macromolecular Signaling Complexes

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel located primarily at the apical membranes of epithelial cells, plays a crucial role in transepithelial fluid homeostasis1-3. CFTR has been implicated in two major diseases: cystic fibrosis (CF)4 and secretory diarrhea5. In CF, the synthesis or functional activity of the CFTR Cl- channel is reduced. This disorder affects approximately 1 in 2,500 Caucasians in the United States6. Excessive CFTR activity has also been implicated in cases of toxin-induced secretory diarrhea (e.g., by cholera toxin and heat stable E. coli enterotoxin) that stimulates cAMP or cGMP production in the gut7.
Accumulating evidence suggest the existence of physical and functional interactions between CFTR and a growing number of other proteins, including transporters, ion channels, receptors, kinases, phosphatases, signaling molecules, and cytoskeletal elements, and these interactions between CFTR and its binding proteins have been shown to be critically involved in regulating CFTR-mediated transepithelial ion transport in vitro and also in vivo8-19. In this protocol, we focus only on the methods that aid in the study of the interactions between CFTR carboxyl terminal tail, which possesses a protein-binding motif [referred to as PSD95/Dlg1/ZO-1 (PDZ) motif], and a group of scaffold proteins, which contain a specific binding module referred to as PDZ domains. So far, several different PDZ scaffold proteins have been reported to bind to the carboxyl terminal tail of CFTR with various affinities, such as NHERF1, NHERF2, PDZK1, PDZK2, CAL (CFTR-associated ligand), Shank2, and GRASP20-27. The PDZ motif within CFTR that is recognized by PDZ scaffold proteins is the last four amino acids at the C terminus (i.e., 1477-DTRL-1480 in human CFTR)20. Interestingly, CFTR can bind more than one PDZ domain of both NHERFs and PDZK1, albeit with varying affinities22. This multivalency with respect to CFTR binding has been shown to be of functional significance, suggesting that PDZ scaffold proteins may facilitate formation of CFTR macromolecular signaling complexes for specific/selective and efficient signaling in cells16-18.
Multiple biochemical assays have been developed to study CFTR-involving protein interactions, such as co-immunoprecipitation, pull-down assay, pair-wise binding assay, colorimetric pair-wise binding assay, and macromolecular complex assembly assay16-19,28,29. Here we focus on the detailed procedures of assembling a PDZ motif-dependent CFTR-containing macromolecular complex in vitro, which is used extensively by our laboratory to study protein-protein or domain-domain interactions involving CFTR16-19,28,29.

In Vitro Analysis of PDZ-dependent CFTR Macromolecular Signaling Complexes

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an epithelial chloride channel, has been reported to interact with various proteins and regulate important cellular processes; among them the CFTR PDZ motif-mediated interactions have been well documented. This protocol describes methods we developed to assemble a PDZ-dependent CFTR macromolecular signaling complex in vitro.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride channel located primarily at the apical membranes of epithelial cells, plays a ...

Culturing Caenorhabditis elegans in Axenic Liquid Media and Creation of Transgenic Worms by Microparticle Bombardment

In this protocol, we present the required materials, and the procedure for making modified&#160;C. elegans&#160;Habituation and Reproduction media (mCeHR). Additionally, the steps for exposing and acclimatizing C. elegans grown on E. coli to axenic liquid media are described. Finally, downstream experiments that utilize axenic C. elegans illustrate the benefits of this procedure. The ability to analyze and determine C. elegans&#160;nutrient requirement was illustrated by growing N2 wild type worms in axenic liquid media with varying heme concentrations. This procedure can be replicated with other nutrients to determine the optimal concentration for worm growth and development or, to determine the toxicological effects of drug treatments. The effects of varied heme concentrations on the growth of wild type worms were determined through qualitative microscopic observation and by quantitating the number of worms that grew in each heme concentration. In addition, the effect of varied nutrient concentrations can be assayed by utilizing worms that express fluorescent sensors that respond to changes in the nutrient of interest. Furthermore, a large number of worms were easily produced for the generation of transgenic C. elegans using microparticle bombardment.

Culturing Caenorhabditis elegans in Axenic Liquid Media and Creation of Transgenic Worms by Microparticle Bombardment

C. elegans is usually grown on solid agar plates or in liquid cultures seeded with E. coli. To prevent bacterial byproducts from confounding toxicological and nutritional studies, we utilized an axenic liquid medium, CeHR, to grow and synchronize a large number of worms for a range of downstream applications.

In this protocol, we present the required materials, and the procedure for making modified&#160;C. elegans&#160;Habituation and Reproduction media ...

Open Source High Content Analysis Utilizing Automated Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

We present an open source high content analysis instrument utilizing automated fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) for assaying protein interactions using F&#246;rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based readouts of fixed or live cells in multiwell plates. This provides a means to screen for cell signaling processes read out using intramolecular FRET biosensors or intermolecular FRET of protein interactions such as oligomerization or heterodimerization, which can be used to identify binding partners. We describe here the functionality of this automated multiwell plate FLIM instrumentation and present exemplar data from our studies of HIV Gag protein oligomerization and a time course of a FRET biosensor in live cells. A detailed description of the practical implementation is then provided with reference to a list of hardware components and a description of the open source data acquisition software written in &#181;Manager. The application of FLIMfit, an open source MATLAB-based client for the OMERO platform, to analyze arrays of multiwell plate FLIM data is also presented. The protocols for imaging fixed and live cells are outlined and a demonstration of an automated multiwell plate FLIM experiment using cells expressing fluorescent protein-based FRET constructs is presented. This is complemented by a walk-through of the data analysis for this specific FLIM FRET data set.

We present an open source high content analysis (HCA) instrument utilizing automated fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) for assaying protein interactions using F&#246;rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based readouts. Data acquisition for this openFLIM-HCA instrument is controlled by software written in &#181;Manager and data analysis is undertaken in FLIMfit.

We present an open source high content analysis instrument utilizing automated fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) for assaying protein interactions ...

Methods to Study Epithelial Transport Protein Function and Expression in Native Intestine and Caco-2 Cells Grown in 3D

The intestinal epithelium has important transport and barrier functions that play key roles in normal physiological functions of the body while providing a barrier to foreign particles. Impaired epithelial transport (ion, nutrient, or drugs) has been associated with many diseases and can have consequences that extend beyond the normal physiological functions of the transporters, such as by influencing epithelial integrity and the gut microbiome. Understanding the function and regulation of transport proteins is critical for the development of improved therapeutic interventions. The biggest challenge in the study of epithelial transport is developing a suitable model system that recapitulates important features of the native intestinal epithelial cells. Several in vitro cell culture models, such as Caco-2, T-84, and HT-29-Cl.19A cells are typically used in epithelial transport research. These cell lines represent a reductionist approach to modeling the epithelium and have been used in many mechanistic studies, including their examination of epithelial-microbial interactions. However, cell monolayers do not accurately reflect cell-cell interactions and the in vivo microenvironment. Cells grown in 3D have shown to be promising models for drug permeability studies. We show that Caco-2 cells in 3D can be used to study epithelial transporters. It is also important that studies in Caco-2 cells are complemented with other models to rule out cell specific effects and to take into account the complexity of the native intestine. Several methods have been previously used to assess the functionality of transporters, such as everted sac and uptake in isolated epithelial cells or in isolated plasma membrane vesicles. Taking into consideration the challenges in the field with respect to models and the measurement of transport function, we demonstrate here a protocol to grow Caco-2 cells in 3D and describe the use of an Ussing chamber as an effective approach to measure serotonin transport, such as in intact polarized intestinal epithelia.

We describe simple methods to study the regulation of intestinal serotonin transporter (SERT) function and expression using an in vitro cell culture model of Caco-2 cells grown in 3D&#160;and an ex vivo model of mouse intestines. These methods are applicable to the study of other epithelial transporters.

The intestinal epithelium has important transport and barrier functions that play key roles in normal physiological functions of the body while providing ...

Quantifying Spatiotemporal Parameters of Cellular Exocytosis in Micropatterned Cells

Live imaging of the pHluorin tagged Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor Attachment protein REceptor (v-SNARE) Vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 (VAMP7) by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a straightforward way to explore secretion from the lysosomal compartment. Taking advantage of cell culture on micropatterned surfaces to normalize cell shape, a variety of statistical tools were employed to perform a spatial analysis of secretory patterns. Using Ripley&#8217;s K function and a statistical test based on the nearest neighbor distance (NND), we confirmed that secretion from lysosomes is not a random process but shows significant clustering. Of note, our analysis revealed that exocytosis events are also clustered in nonadhesion areas, indicating that adhesion molecules are not the only structures that can induce secretory hot spots at the plasma membrane. Still, we found that cell adhesion enhances clustering. In addition to precisely defined adhesive and nonadhesive areas, the circular geometry of these micropatterns allows the use of polar coordinates, simplifying analyses. We used Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and the cumulative distribution function on polar coordinates of exocytosis events to identify enriched areas of exocytosis. In ring-shaped micropattern cells, clustering occurred at the border between the adhesive and nonadhesive areas. Our analysis illustrates how statistical tools can be employed to investigate spatial distributions of diverse biological processes.

Live imaging of lysosomal exocytosis on micropatterned cells allows a spatial quantification of this process. Morphology normalization using micropatterns is an outstanding tool to uncover general rules about the spatial distribution of cellular processes.

Live imaging of the pHluorin tagged Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor Attachment protein REceptor (v-SNARE) Vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 ...

Optimization of Crystal Growth for Neutron Macromolecular Crystallography

The use of neutron macromolecular crystallography (NMX) is expanding rapidly with most structures determined in the last decade thanks to new NMX beamlines having been built and increased availability of structure refinement software. However, the neutron sources currently available for NMX are significantly weaker than equivalent sources for X-ray crystallography. Despite advances in this field, significantly larger crystals will always be required for neutron diffraction studies, particularly with the tendency to study ever-larger macromolecules and complexes. Further improvements in methods and instrumentation suited to growing larger crystals are therefore necessary for the use of NMX to expand.
In this work, we introduce rational strategies and a crystal growth bench (OptiCrys) developed in our laboratory that combines real-time observation through a microscope-mounted video camera with precise automated control of crystallization solutions (e.g., precipitant concentration, pH, additive, temperature). We then demonstrate how this control of temperature and chemical composition facilitates the search for optimal crystallization conditions using model soluble proteins. Thorough knowledge of the crystallization phase diagram is crucial for selecting the starting position and the kinetic path for any crystallization experiment. We show how a rational approach can control the size and number of crystals generated based on knowledge of multidimensional phase diagrams.

Structural studies of biomacromolecules by crystallography require high-quality crystals. Here we demonstrate a protocol that can be used by OptiCrys (a fully automated instrument developed in our lab) and/or microdialysis buttons for growing large high-quality crystals based on knowledge of the crystallization phase diagram.

A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment

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Culturing Caenorhabditis elegans in Axenic Liquid Media and Creation of Transgenic Worms by Microparticle Bombardment

Open Source High Content Analysis Utilizing Automated Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Methods to Study Epithelial Transport Protein Function and Expression in Native Intestine and Caco-2 Cells Grown in 3D

Quantifying Spatiotemporal Parameters of Cellular Exocytosis in Micropatterned Cells

Optimization of Crystal Growth for Neutron Macromolecular Crystallography