Recombinant protein or a chemically synthesized bioactive fragment is immobilized on resin and used as a probe to capture interacting proteins directly from a cell extract. Affinity-purified proteins are fractionated by gel electrophoresis and visualized by Coomassie staining. Proteins that interact specifically are identified by comparing this gel profile to one obtained from cell lysates passed over a control resin lacking the immobilized probe protein. - [Read Affinity Purification of Interacting Proteins from Cell Lysates Protocol]
Traditional animal models to quantify the degree of blood vessel formation are being replaced by cell culture assays
that are easier to set up, statistically reliable and can be automated in a drug screening laboratory. These assays rely on the endothelial cells’ ability to form distinct blood-vessel-like tubules in an extracellular matrix where they can subsequently be visualized by fluorescence microscopy. - [Read An Image-Based Assay of Endothelial Cell Tube Formation as a Model of Angiogenesis]
Protocol describes the direct detection of RNA on DNA microarrays using Hybrid Capture (HC) technology and the HC ExpressArray Kit developed by Diagene. The kit uses a proprietary antibody that binds specifically to RNA:DNA hybrids and a second, fluorescently labeled, antibody that detects the primary antibody. Total RNA is applied directly to a glass-spotted DNA microarray, and stable RNA:DNA hybrids are visualized via a Cy3-labeled secondary antibody. - [Read Hybridization and Detection Using the HC ExpressArray Kit Protocol]
Protocol describes an assay that relies on the endothelial cells’ ability to form distinct blood-vessel-like tubules in an extracellular matrix where they can subsequently be visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Although quantification of the tubules can be performed by manual tracing, this method precludes the use of the assay in unbiased high-throughput applications. - [Read Image Based Assay of Endothelial Cell Tube Formation Protocol]
Using confocal laser-scanning microscope & GFP fusion proteins in time-lapse imaging to visualize the behavior of organelles and to track membrane-bound transport intermediates that bud off from organelles. Practical issues related to construction & expression of GFP fusion proteins are discussed. Essential for optimizing the brightness and expression levels of GFP fusion proteins so that intracellular membrane-bound structures containing these fusion proteins can be readily visualized. - [Read Imaging of Organelle Membrane Systems and Membrane Traffic in Living Cells]
Preparations of RNA containing an mRNA of interest are hybridized to a complementary single-stranded DNA probe. At the end of the reaction nuclease S1 is used to degrade unhybridized regions of the probe, and the surviving DNA-RNA hybrids are then separated by gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography or Southern hybridization. Method used to quantitate RNAs, to map the positions of introns, and to identify the locations of 5' and 3' ends of mRNAs on cloned DNA templates. - [Read Mapping RNA with Nuclease S1 Protocol]
Protocol describes an RNA Polymerase III (Pol III) transcription assay using an extract or proteins of choice. Pol III is the polymerase responsible for transcribing 5S RNA, tRNAs, and other small RNAs. α-Amanitin inhibits Pol II transcription in the assay. The newly-transcribed, radiolabeled RNA is visualized by autoradiography following Urea Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. - [Read Protocol for Polymerase III In Vitro Transcription]