Allows students to easily isolate chromosomal DNA from onion cells using the same basic tools and methods that scientists use in the lab. A good introduction to using pipettes. Kate Dollard - [Read DNA Isolation from Onion Cells]
Microsatellite markers, also referred to as STMS (SequenceTagged Microsatellite Sites) or STR (Short Tandem Repeats) are widely used as molecular markers for intraspecific genotyping, molecular mapping and breeding purposes. The method described is an efficient,fast and relatively inexpensive way to obtain microsatellite markers without post-cloning selection methods. So far, the method has been successful in onion (Allium cepa L.), a plant with a large genome and for pathogenic fungi. - [Read Enrichment for Microsatellite Sequences in Onion (Allium cepa L.) Protocol]
GUS is used as a tag to address nuclear localization whereas GFP is more versatile. GFP is detectable directly in living cells, GUS is only detected indirectly by staining of fixed tissue which may lead to artifacts or may obscure problems with protein solubility. In this protocol, protein localization is routinely assayed after particle-mediated transient transformation of onion epidermal cells. With this method it can be determined rapidly whether a given fusion protein is active and.... - [Read Subcellular Localization of GUS- and GFP-Tagged Proteins in Onion Epidermal Cells]