commonly Protocols

Category: Protein Protocols: Protein Trafficking

Protocol is based on methods for the resolution of GLUT4 containing vesicles and the identification of phosphoinositide kinase containing vesicles in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. They may have a wider application to any low-medium density membranes. Protocol incorporates the strategy of using a low density microsome fraction as the gradient input, commonly used in GLUT 4 studies that may have a wider application to other investigations. - [Read Analysis of Membrane Trafficking and Intracellular Signaling in Self-Generated Iodixanol Gradients]

Category: Protein Protocols: Protein Quantitation Concentration Protocols: Bradford Protein Assay Protocols

Includes Abbreviations, Background, and Procedure steps using BSA. The Bradford protein assay (1) is one of several simple methods commonly used to determine the total protein concentration of a sample.  The method is based on the proportional binding of the dye Coomassie to proteins. The assay is colorimetric; as the protein concentration increases, the color of the test sample becomes darker.  Coomassie absorbs at 595 nm.  - [Read Bradford Protein Concentration Assay]

Category: Buffers Media, and Solutions

Buffer calculator tool for commonly used buffer compound solutions. Making different volumes? use this! (Practical Molecular Biology) - [Read Buffer calculator tool]

Category: Buffers Media, and Solutions

Recipes for commonly used buffer solutions. (Gerard R. Lazo) - [Read Common Buffers]

Category: Nucleic Acid Electrophoresis Protocols: DNA Electrophoresis Protocols: DNA Electrophoresis in Agarose Gels Protocols

The most convenient and commonly used method to visualize DNA in agarose gels is staining with the fluorescent dye ethidium bromide.  Ethidium bromide can be used to detect both singleand double-stranded nucleic acids (both DNA and RNA).  However, the affinity of the dye for single-stranded nucleic acid is relatively low and the fluorescent yield is comparatively poor. - [Read Detection of DNA in Agarose Gels Protocol]

Category: Yeast Protocols: Yeast Genetics Protocols

Protocol describes mutagenesis of yeast with ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS). It causes approximately 40-70% cell death in most haploid laboratory strains, a level of cell killing that is commonly used in mutant hunts with haploid strains. - [Read Ethyl Methane Sulfonate (EMS) Mutagenesis Protocol]

Category: Microscopy Protocols: Fluorescence Microscopy Protocols

Most biological specimens are relatively transparent, so details of internal and intracellular morphology are difficult to image in untreated living specimens using simple bright-field techniques. Fluorescence microscopy offers greater advantages and possibilities for increasing contrast and determining the specific localization of molecules in cells. Article outlines the three methods most commonly used to introduce an appropriate label into Drosophila tissue without perturbing the process. - [Read Fluorescent Reagents for Live Cell Imaging and Their Introduction into Cells]

Category: Immunology: Immunoprecipitation Protocols: Immunoprecipitation of Radiolabeled Cells Protocols

Coimmunoprecipitation is most commonly used to test whether two proteins of interest are associated in vivo, but it can also be used to identify novel interacting partners of a target protein. In both cases, the cells, which may have been labeled with [35S]methionine, are harvested and lysed under conditions that preserve protein-protein interactions. The target protein is specifically immunoprecipitated from the cell extracts, and the immunoprecipitates are fractionated by SDS-PAGE. - [Read Identification of Associated Proteins by Coimmunoprecipitation Protocol]

Category: Immunology: Immunocytochemistry Protocols

Fixatives commonly used for Immunocytochemistry for adherent cells. Upstate. - [Read Immunocytochemistry with Adherent Cells]

Category: Immunology: T Cell Protocols

Describes generating CTL against some commonly used target antigens. Two methods for the quantitation of CTL activity are described based on the two pathways used bt CTL to kill target cells. In one pathway, they release lytic granules containing perforin and granzymes, leading to apoptosis and target cell lysis. In a second pathway, they trigger apoptosis via Fas/Fas ligand interactions. - [Read Induction and Measurement of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Activity Protocol]

Category: Plant Biology Protocols: Arabidopsis Tissue Culture

The most commonly used markers for selection of transgenic Arabidopsis are resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin and to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium. Resistance to kanamycin is conferred by a bacterial gene encoding the enzyme neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT). In this protocol, kanamycin-resistant seedlings are selected on solid medium. - [Read Kanamycin Selection of Transformed Arabidopsis Protocol]

Category: Cell Culture Protocols: Cell Lysis Protocols

For cells grown in tissue culture, the most useful method of lysis is treating with detergents, as described in this protocol. Non-ionic detergents, such as NP-40, solubilize the plasma and intracellular membranes, break many weak intermolecular bonds, and solubilize most of the commonly studied protein antigens. RIPA lysis buffer may be used as a more rigorous extraction buffer to release all but the insoluble proteins of the cell and to break most weak noncovalent interactions. - [Read Lysing Tissue-Culture Cells for Immunoprecipitation Protocol]

Category: Mass Spectrometry Protocols

MALDI Matrices. Commonly used MALDI matrices for analysis of peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids using 337 nm or 355 nm UV lasers. All matrices can be used for sample preparation using the Dried Droplet Method whereas only matrices solubl - [Read MALDI Matrices]

Category: Cell Biology and Cell Culture: Flow Cytometry Protocols

The more commonly available single-laser cytometers can also be used to measure multicellular conjugates, but due to overlaps in emission spectra, the extent of labeling cells with fluorophores must be controlled much more carefully when the single-laser machines are used. This protocol describes the labeling of cells and analysis of conjugates with either dual-laser or single laser flow cytometers. - [Read Measurement of Intercellular Conjugates by Flow Cytometry Protocol]

Category: Cell Culture Protocols: Insect Cell Culture Protocols

Insect cell cultures are now commonly used in insect physiology, developmental biology, pathology, and molecular biology. As the field has advanced from methods development to a standard procedure, so has the diversity of scientists using the technique. This paper describes methods that are effective for maintaining various insect cell lines. The procedures are differentiated between loosely or non-attached cell strains, attached cell strains, and strongly adherent cell strains. - [Read Methods for Maintaining Insect Cell Cultures]

Category: Reporter Gene Assays: GFP Assay Protocols

Green fluorescent protein is commonly used to monitor gene expression and protein trafficking within intact cells. The Monster Green® Fluorescent Protein is encoded by an improved synthetic version of the green fluorescent protein gene originally cloned from Montastrea cavernosa (Great Star Coral). - [Read Monster Green® Fluorescent Protein Assay]

Category: Cell Culture Protocols: Cell Culture Contamination Prevention and Removal Protocols

For both biological and economical reasons, it is important to eliminate mycoplasmas from cell cultures being used for basic research, diagnosis, and biotechnological production. The most commonly used method for elimination, inactivation, or suppression of mycoplasmas in cell cultures is treatment with antibiotics. In general, antibiotic therapies do not result in long-lasting, successful elimination. Also, the cytotoxic properties of antibiotics can cause undesirable side effects on cells. - [Read Mycoplasma Elimination Reagent Protocol]

Category: Cell Biology and Cell Culture: Flow Cytometry Protocols: DNA Staining Protocols for Flow Cytometry

This protocol describes a method for quantitative measurement of DNA in solid tissue samples using either propidium iodide (PI) or DAPI staining followed by flow cytometry. PI can be excited at 488 nm by the argon-ion laser, the most commonly used laser in flow cytometry. Alternatively, DAPI is best excited by a high-power UV laser, which is less commonly available. - [Read Propidium Iodide (PI) or DAPI Staining of Unfixed Solid Tissues for Flow Cytometry Protocol]

Category: Cell Biology and Cell Culture: Flow Cytometry Protocols: DNA Staining Protocols for Flow Cytometry

This protocol describes a method for quantitative measurement of DNA in tissue culture cells using either propidium iodide (PI) or DAPI staining followed by flow cytometry. PI can be excited at 488 nm by the argon-ion laser, the most commonly used laser in flow cytometry. Alternatively, DAPI is best excited by a high-power UV laser, which is less commonly available. - [Read Propidium Iodide (PI) or DAPI Staining of Unfixed Tissue Culture Cells for Flow Cytometry Protocol]

Category: Chromatography Protocols: Immunoaffinity Chromatography Protocols

Immunoaffinity purification of antibodies is used to purify antigen-specific antibodies from a preparation of polyclonal antibodies.  Such purification is commonly needed in the production of antipeptide antibodies, where it is used to concentrate the desired antibodies and separate them from those raised against carrier proteins.  It is also used for the more general purpose of removing unwanted, nonspecific binding activity from polyclonal antibody preparations. - [Read Purification of Antibodies on an Antigen Column Protocol]

Category: Bacteria Transformation Protocols

Protocol describes a method for transforming Agrobacterium with plasmid DNA using electroporation in a manner similar to that commonly used for Escherichia coli. Although the transformation efficiency for Agrobacterium is lower than that for E. coli, it is possible to obtain adequate numbers of Agrobacterium transformants with this technique. - [Read Transformation of Agrobacterium Using Electroporation Protocol]

Category: Protein Protocols: Protein Electrophoresis

Tricine–SDS-PAGE Protocol and background. Nature. PDF file. Tricine–SDS-PAGE is commonly used to separate proteins in the mass range 1–100 kDa. It is the preferred electrophoretic system for the resolution of proteins smaller than 30 kDa. –SDS-PAGE is also used preferentially for doubled SDS-PAGE (dSDS-PAGE), a proteomic tool used to isolate extremely hydrophobic proteins for mass spectrometric identification. - [Read Tricine–SDS-PAGE Protocol PDF]