Protocol for blunt-end cloning of PCR products. Incubation of a blunt-end ligation reaction in the presence of an excess amount of an appropriate restriction enzyme can dramatically increase the yield of recombinant plasmids. The role of the restriction enzyme is to cleave circular and linear concatemers at restriction sites that are re-formed when linear, blunt-ended plasmid molecules ligate to themselves. I - [Read Blunt-end Cloning of PCR Products Protocol]
Techniques on how to create gradients of iodixanol for the fractionation of mammalian cells. These gradients can be generated as pre-formed discontinuous or continuous gradients. These gradients are invariably run in swinging-bucket rotors in low-speed centrifuges. - [Read C2 Preparation of pre-formed iodixanol gradients for mammalian cells.]
The protocol described in this protocol has been used principally for analyzing the Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum and trans-Golgi network but markers for other compartments (e.g.
ERGIC and endosomes) have also been analyzed. Modifications either to the gradient density range or the centrifugation conditions influence the ability of the gradient to resolve multiple compartments. - [Read Fractionation of Golgi, ER, TGN and Other Membrane Compartments in Pre-Formed Iodixanol Gradients]
Generally in iodixanol gradients the density of organelles decreases in the series: peroxisomes, mitochondria, lysosomes, ER, Golgi, although in Dictyostelium discoideum, the lysosomes are denser than the mitochondria. Iodixanol gradients can usually provide satisfactory resolution of all these membrane particles although it may be necessary to modulate either the gradient or centrifugation parameters in order to optimize a particular separation. - [Read Fractionation of Mitochondria, Lysosomes, Peroxisomes, ER and Golgi in Pre-formed Iodixanol Gradient]
Fractionation of (a) vacuolar and subvacuolar vesicles and (b) vacuole and cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting (Cvt) vesicles from yeast spheroplasts in a pre-formed discontinuous iodixanol gradients. Protocol includes: Formation of yeast spheroplasts; Isolation and vesiculation of the vacuoles; Separation of the vacuolar and subvacuolar vesicles; Separation of vacuoles and Cvt vesicles from a yeast spheroplast lysate. - [Read Fractionation of Vacuolar and Subvacuolar vesicles and Vacuole and Cytoplasm-to-Vacuole Targeting]
This protocol is concerned with the use of iodixanol gradients in an analytical mode to study the membrane localization of a particular protein or function. Continuous gradients are best suited to this task. One of the protocols described in this protocol starts with a discontinuous gradient, but since the gradient is centrifuged at 174,000g for 16 h it will become continuous by diffusion. - [Read Fractionation of Yeast Membranes in Pre-Formed Continuous Iodixanol Gradients]
A discontinuous gradient of iodixanol is used in which the crude mitochondrial fraction is layered beneath the preformed
gradient. In this protocol the osmolality of the gradient is approx 600 mOsm and the crude mitochondrial fraction is loaded in 40% iodixanol rather than 50% iodixanol. - [Read Isolation of Yeast Mitochondria in aPre-Formed Iodixanol Gradient]
Lipoplex (cationic liposome-DNA complex) is formed via electrostatic interaction of anionic nucleic acids with cationic liposomes. A thin film of lipids is dried on the bottom of a glass tube and rehydrated in an aqueous solution. The resulting liposome suspension is passed through polycarbonate filters of desired pore size. This protocol also describes the preparation, physical properties, and biological activity of liposome-polycation-DNA (LPD) nanoparticles. - [Read Lipoplex and LPD Nanoparticles for In Vivo Gene Delivery Protocol]
Protocol for the preparation of electrolyte gradient gels. Electrolyte gradients are formed when buffers of different concentrations are used in the upper (low electrolyte concentration) and lower (high electrolyte concentration) chambers of the electrophoresis device. - [Read Preparation of Electrolyte Gradient Gels Protocol]
This protocol describes a discontinuous gradient, which resolves the mitochondria from both lighter and denser organelles. Because the centrifugation is carried out for 4 h, diffusion will create a partially continuous gradient and this probably contributes to the resolution of the mitochondria from the lighter lysosomes. - [Read Purification of Mammalian Liver Mitochondria by Flotation Through a Pre-formed Discontinuous Iodixan]
Although Percoll gradients were able to provide a purified sporocyst fraction, because these particles do not all band in a discrete manner in such gradients, they were unable to provide a simultaneous isolation of a pure oocyst wall fraction. Gradients formed from this protocol on the other hand are able to provide purified sporocysts and oocyst walls in the same gradient. - [Read Purification of Oocyst Walls and Sporocysts from Toxoplasma gondii Protocol]
Plaques formed by M13 bacteriophages or bacterial colonies transformed by plasmids carrying specific mutations can be detected by hybridization, using a radiolabeled oligonucleotide that forms a perfect duplex with the mutant sequence. Hybridization is carried out under conditions of low stringency that allow the radiolabeled oligonucleotide to anneal to both mutant and wild-type DNAs. - [Read Screening Recombinant Clones for Site-directed Mutagenesis by Hybridization to Radiolabeled Oligos]
The multiprotein-DNA complex of interest is formed using the site-specifically derivatized DNA fragment. The complex is then UV-irradiated, initiating covalent cross-linking with proteins in direct physical proximity to the cross-linking agent. Extensive nuclease digestion is performed to eliminate uncross-linked DNA and convert cross-linked DNA to a cross-linked, radiolabeled nucleotide "tag." - [Read Site-Specific Protein-DNA Photo-Cross-Linking: Analysis of Structural Organization of Protein-DNA]
A Single Stranded Plasmid DNA Isolation Protocol describing the production and isolation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) using bacteriophagemid-containing bacteria and helper phage. Infection of the host cells with helper phage allows for packaging of ssDNA into bacteriophage. The ssDNA can then be isolated from phage particles.
A protocol for the selection of Phage Antibodies using Immobilized Antigen. This method describes the selection of antibodies from bacteriophage antibody libraries that recognize a specific antigen. The phage display library of antibody-displaying phage particles is exposed to antigen attached to a solid substrate (Nunc Immuno™ tubes). The phage particles with affinity for antigen bind to the immobilized antigen and are selected from the library of phage expressing antibodies.
The DNA Ligation protocol described here contains the steps required to join together using ligase enzyme both plasmid DNA and insert DNA fragments in order to create a new plasmid. This new ligated plasmid can be transformed after into competent bacteria to produce DNA for mini, midi or maxi-prep isolation.
3' Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends RACE Using PCR Protocol. This protocol contains the steps for 3' end rapid amplification of mRNA by PCR. The first-strand cDNA is synthesized from total or poly(A+) RNA by priming from the poly-A tail of the mRNA using a oligo (dT) adaptor primer. The cDNA is then amplified via PCR using a gene-specific primer and an adaptor primer.