Closed System Cell Culture Protocol Using HYPERStack Vessels with Gas Permeable Material Technology
1Business Development, Corning Life Science, 2Applications, Corning Life Science, 3Product Development, Corning Life Science
An Introduction into the technology, protocol and handling of the Corning HYPERStack Vessels and accessories used for high yield adherent cell culture. The protocol will show how to use the closed system vessels for increasing cell harvesting over current stacked plate products.
High-throughput Saccharification Assay for Lignocellulosic Materials
Center for Novel Agricultural Products, University of York
A simple, rapid method for determining the saccharification potential of large numbers of plant biomass samples is described. The automated platform for this analysis involves the preparation of the plant biomass for analysis in 96 well plates and the subsequent performance of pretreatment, hydrolysis and quantification of the sugars released.
A High-throughput Automated Platform for the Development of Manufacturing Cell Lines for Protein Therapeutics
Merck Research Laboratory, Merck & Co., Inc
A high-throughput, automated platform of manufacturing cell line development for producing protein therapeutics is described. Implementation of BD FACS Aria Cell Sorter, CloneSelect Imager and TECAN Freedom EVO liquid handling system has demonstrated significantly increased processing capacity in cell line development with improved cell line quality and high reproducibility.
A Fluorescent Screening Assay for Identifying Modulators of GIRK Channels
A real-time screening procedure for identifying drugs that interact with G protein-gated inward rectifier K+ (GIRK) channels is described. The assay utilizes membrane potential-sensitive fluorescent dyes to measure GIRK channel activity. This technique is adaptable for use on a number of cell lines.
Facilitating Drug Discovery: An Automated High-content Inflammation Assay in Zebrafish
1Institute for Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2Institute for Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Here we describe a novel high-content chemically induced inflammation assay aiming at the identification of immune-modulatory bioactives. We have successfully combined automated microscopy with custom developed software scripts enabling automated quantification of the inflammatory response as well as further data processing, analysis, mining, and storage.
High-throughput Screening and Biosensing with Fluorescent C. elegans Strains
1Department of Biology, University of Florida, 2Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
A procedure for liquid-based culturing and dispensing of C. elegans strains expressing fluorescent reporter proteins is described that does not require expensive sorting equipment. This approach can be applied to numerous inducible C. elegans genes for drug discovery or biosensing of contaminants.
Quantitative and Automated High-throughput Genome-wide RNAi Screens in C. elegans
Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Université de la Méditerranée
We describe a protocol using C. elegans and RNAi feeding libraries that allows automated measurement of multiple parameters such as fluorescence, size and opacity of individual worms in a population. We give one example of a screen to identify genes involved in anti-fungal innate immunity in C. elegans.
High-throughput Screening for Small-molecule Modulators of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels
1Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 2Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 3Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Methods for developing and validating a quantitative fluorescence assay for measuring the activity of inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels for high-throughput compound screening is presented.
Cell Co-culture Patterning Using Aqueous Two-phase Systems
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
Aqueous two-phase systems were used to simultaneously pattern multiple populations of cells. This fast and easy method for cell patterning takes advantage of the phase separation of aqueous solutions of dextran and polyethylene glycol and the interfacial tension that exists between the two polymer solutions.
Revealing Dynamic Processes of Materials in Liquids Using Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy
Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
We have developed a self-contained liquid cell, which allows imaging through liquids using a transmission electron microscope. Dynamic processes of nanoparticles in liquids can be revealed in real time with sub-nanometer resolution.
High Throughput Sequential ELISA for Validation of Biomarkers of Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, University of Michigan
High throughput validation of multiple candidate biomarkers can be performed by sequential ELISA in order to minimize freeze/thaw cycles and use of precious plasma samples. Here, we demonstrate how to sequentially perform ELISAs for six different validated plasma biomarkers1-3 of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)4 on the same plasma sample.
Determining Cell Number During Cell Culture using the Scepter Cell Counter
Bioscience Division, Millipore Inc
The Scepter Cell Counter is a handheld automated device that can be used to count cells, monitor cell diameter and volume, and be used to check the health and quality of cellular populations from one culture to the next.
Orthogonal Protein Purification Facilitated by a Small Bispecific Affinity Tag
School of Biotechnology, Department of Proteomics, Royal Institute of Technology
A novel and highly efficient two-step affinity chromatography protocol has been developed and is described in detail. The method is based on a small purification tag with two inherent affinities and is applicable to a wide range of target proteins with different properties.
A Neuronal and Astrocyte Co-Culture Assay for High Content Analysis of Neurotoxicity
Bioscience Division, High Content Analysis Research and Development, Millipore Inc
This article describes a novel protocol and reagent set designed for sensitive measurement of neurotoxic effects of compounds and treatments on co-cultures of neurons and astrocytes using high content analysis. Results demonstrate that high content analysis represents an exciting novel technology for neurotoxicity assessment.
RNAi Screening for Host Factors Involved in Vaccinia Virus Infection using Drosophila Cells
Department of Microbiology, Penn Genome Frontiers Institute, University of Pennsylvania
Novel host factors involved in viral infection can be identified through cell-based genome-wide loss of function RNAi screening. A Drosophila cell culture model is particularly amenable to this approach due to the ease and efficiency of RNAi. Here we demonstrate this technique using vaccinia virus as an example.
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MISSION esiRNA for RNAi Screening in Mammalian Cells
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Here we use a human esiRNA library in a high-throughput screen for genes involved in cell division. We demonstrate how to set up and conduct an esiRNA screens, as well as how to analyze and validate the results.
IonFlux: Automated Patch Clamp System with Plate Reader Simplicity - ADVERTISEMENT
The IonFlux Automated Patch Clamp System provides high throughput, cost-effective ion channel screening for a wide range of electrophysiology applications. Fast compound exchange, low cost per data point, and convenient well plate formats make the system ideal for both ligand- and voltage-gated ion channel targets. The IonFlux HT provides an industry-leading 10,000 data points per day, while the IonFlux 16 provides true automated patch clamp performance for about the cost of a manual patch clamp rig.
Measuring Caenorhabditis elegans Life Span in 96 Well Microtiter Plates
1Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, 2Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute
In this protocol we present a method to measure Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan in 96 well microtiter plates.
High-throughput Yeast Plasmid Overexpression Screen
1Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Here we describe a plasmid overexpression screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using an arrayed plasmid library and a high-throughput yeast transformation protocol with a liquid handling robot.
Optimization of the Ugi Reaction Using Parallel Synthesis and Automated Liquid Handling
1Department of Chemistry, Drexel University, 2Mettler-Toledo, 3Chemspider
The Ugi reaction has proved to be a convenient way to quickly create diverse libraries of compounds. It involves the reaction of an amine, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid and an isonitrile typically in methanol at room temperature. In this video, we utilize a 48-slot Mettler-Toledo MiniBlock equipped with filtration tubes and a Mettler-Toledo MiniMapper automated liquid handler was used to deliver the reagents and solvent. The parameters of interest were the concentration, the solvent composition and the excess of some of the reagents.
The Green Monster Process for the Generation of Yeast Strains Carrying Multiple Gene Deletions
1Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute, 2Department of Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J. Craig Venter Institute, 3Donnelly Centre & Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 4Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mt Sinai Hospital
The Green Monster method enables the rapid assembly of multiple deletions marked with a reporter gene encoding green fluorescent protein. This method is based on driving yeast strains through repeated cycles of sexual assortment of deletions and fluorescence-based enrichment of cells carrying more deletions.
Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding
1College of Nursing, Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Research Laboratory, Seattle University, 2College of Science and Engineering, Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Research Laboratory, Seattle University, 3School of Medicine, University of Washington
An in vitro method for preparing functional glucocorticoid receptor (GR)•hsp90 protein complexes from purified proteins and cellular lysates is described. The method utilizes immunoadsorption of recombinant GR followed by salt-stripping and protein complex reconstitution. The importance of cofactors and buffer conditions are discussed, as are potential method applications.
Do-It-Yourself Device for Recovery of Cryopreserved Samples Accidentally Dropped into Cryogenic Storage Tanks
1Molecular and Microbiology Department and Center for the Study of Genomics in Liver Diseases, George Mason University, 2Translational Research Institute, Inova Health System, 3Research Center for Medical Genetics RAMS
Here we present a low cost, durable cryotolerant device for sample retrieval from Dewar tanks filled with liquid nitrogen. The ease of construction and modular design of the device makes the process of sample retrieval from cryogenic tanks safe and easy.
High-throughput Purification of Affinity-tagged Recombinant Proteins
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London
We describe a method for the affinity-tagged purification of recombinant proteins using liquid-handling robotics. This method is generally applicable to the small-scale purification of soluble His-tagged proteins in a high-throughput format.
Quantitative Measurement of the Immune Response and Sleep in Drosophila
Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
To understand a link between the immune response and behavior, we describe a method to measure locomotor behavior in Drosophila during bacterial infection as well as the ability of flies to mount an immune response by monitoring survival, bacterial load, and real-time activity of a key regulator of innate immunity, NFκB.
A Quantitative Fitness Analysis Workflow
Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University Medical School
Quantitative Fitness Analysis (QFA) is a complementary series of experimental and computational methods for estimating microbial culture fitnesses. QFA estimates the effect of genetic mutations, drugs or other applied treatments on microbe growth. Experiments scaling from focussed analysis of single cultures to thousands of parallel cultures can be designed.
Fabrication of Amperometric Electrodes
1Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 2Yale University School of Medicine
This protocol describes how to generate carbon fiber electrodes. The electrodes are subsequently used to detect catecholamine release from vesicles with carbon fiber amperometry.
Freezing and Thawing Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Research and Development, Stemgent
Since James Thomson et al developed a technique in 1998 to isolate and grow hES in culture, freezing cells for later use and thawing and expanding cells from a frozen stock have become important procedures performed in routine hES cell culture. Since hES cells are very sensitive to the stresses of freezing and thawing, special care must taken. Here we demonstrate the proper technique for rapidly thawing hES cells from liquid nitrogen stocks, plating them on mouse embryonic feeder cells, and slowly freezing them for long-term storage.
Hippocampal Insulin Microinjection and In vivo Microdialysis During Spatial Memory Testing
Behavioral Neuroscience, University at Albany
Modulation of hippocampally-dependent spatial working memory by direct intrahippocampal microinjection, accompanied and followed by in vivo microdialysis for metabolites in conscious, behaving animals.
Cryopreservation of Mouse Embryos by Ethylene Glycol-Based Vitrification
An ethylene glycol-based vitrification method for mouse embryos is described. It is advantageous to other methods in its simplicity and low embryonic toxicity, and therefore can be broadly applicable to many strains of mice, including inbred and gene-modified mice.
Attaching Biological Probes to Silica Optical Biosensors Using Silane Coupling Agents
Department of Biological Engineering, University of Missouri
Biosensors interface with complex, biological environments and perform targeted detection by combining highly sensitive sensors with highly specific probes attached to the sensor via surface modification. Here, we demonstrate the surface functionalization of silica optical sensors with biotin using silane coupling agents to bridge the sensor and the biological environment.
Determination of Molecular Structures of HIV Envelope Glycoproteins using Cryo-Electron Tomography and Automated Sub-tomogram Averaging
1Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 2The Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, 3National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 4Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 5William Fremd High School, 6University of Virginia, 7Duke University, 8Yale University, 9University of Notre Dame, 10Washington University in St. Louis, 11Bioinformatics and Computational Biosciences Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
The protocol describes a high-throughput approach to determining structures of membrane proteins using cryo-electron tomography and 3D image processing. It covers the details of specimen preparation, data collection, data processing and interpretation, and concludes with the production of a representative target for the approach, the HIV-1 Envelope glycoprotein. These computational procedures are designed in a way that enables researchers and students to work remotely and contribute to data processing and structural analysis.
Intranasal Administration of CNS Therapeutics to Awake Mice
A method to intranasally administer drugs to awake mice for the purpose of targeting the brain is described. This method allows for repeat dosing over long periods using intranasal administration of drug without anesthesia, and nose-to-brain delivery with minimal systemic exposure.
Colony Forming Cell (CFC) Assay for Human Hematopoietic Cells
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine
The colony forming cell (CFC) assay is an in vitro assay in which hematopoietic progenitors form colonies in a semi-solid medium. A combination of colony morphology, cell morphology, and flow cytometry are used to assess the ability of the progenitors to proliferate and differentiate along the different hematopoietic lineages.
Collecting Variable-concentration Isothermal Titration Calorimetry Datasets in Order to Determine Binding Mechanisms
Department of Chemistry, McGill University
ITC is a powerful tool for studying the binding of a ligand to its host. In complex systems however, several models may fit the data equally well. The method described here provides a means to elucidate the appropriate binding model for complex systems and extract the corresponding thermodynamic parameters.
Assessing Replication and Beta Cell Function in Adenovirally-transduced Isolated Rodent Islets
1Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 2Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine
This protocol allows one to identify factors that modulate functional beta cell mass to find potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of diabetes. The protocol consists of a streamlined method to assess islet replication and beta cell function in isolated rat islets following manipulation of gene expression with adenoviruses.
Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews
Use of photonic crystal slow light waveguides and cavities has been widely adopted by the photonics community in many differing applications. Therefore fabrication and characterization of these devices are of great interest. This paper outlines our fabrication technique and two optical characterization methods, namely: interferometric (waveguides) and resonant scattering (cavities).
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Biofilm in Flow Cells
1Department of Systems Biology, Danish Technical University, 2Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen
Protocol describing the application of a flow cell system for growing and analyzing microbial biofilms for Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM).
Visualization of Mitochondrial Respiratory Function using Cytochrome C Oxidase / Succinate Dehydrogenase (COX/SDH) Double-labeling Histochemistry
1Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
The cytochrome c oxidase/sodium dehydrogenase (COX/SDH) double-labeling method allows for direct visualization of mitochondrial respiratory enzyme deficiencies in fresh-frozen tissue sections. This is a straightforward histochemical technique and is useful in investigating mitochondrial diseases, aging, and aging-related disorders.
Assessment of Gastric Emptying in Non-obese Diabetic Mice Using a [13C]-octanoic Acid Breath Test
Enteric Neuroscience Program, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic
Determination of gastric emptying with a non-invasive [13C]-octanoic acid breath test for tracking gastroparesis in female NOD LtJ mice.
Growth Assays to Assess Polyglutamine Toxicity in Yeast
Boston Biomedical Research Institute
This manuscript describes three complementary protocols for assessing the toxicity of polyglutamine (polyQ)-expansion proteins in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These protocols can easily be modified to monitor the toxicity of other misfolded proteins in yeast.
Air Filter Devices Including Nonwoven Meshes of Electrospun Recombinant Spider Silk Proteins
Biomaterials Research Group, University of Bayreuth
Spider silk fibers display extraordinary mechanical properties. Engineered Araneus diadematus Fibroin 4 (eADF4) can be processed into nonwoven meshes using electrospinning. Here, the eADF4 nonwoven meshes are used to improve the performance of air filtering devices.
Cryopreservation of Preimplantation Embryos of Cattle, Sheep, and Goats
Animal Science Department, Iowa State University
Preimplantation embryos may be cryopreserved after placement into a hypertonic cryoprotective solution to cause cellular dehydration. After equilibration, ice crystal formation is induced in the solution surrounding the embryo. Further dehydration occurs as the embryo is slowly cooled to subzero temperatures before plunging into liquid nitrogen for storage.
Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific
Here we describe an efficient strategy to remove the silk-producing glands from the abdomen of female black widow spiders. This procedure allows the rapid isolation of the seven distinct silk-producing glands in a highly purified fashion, an important process for investigators studying spider silk production and fiber assembly.
Large Insert Environmental Genomic Library Production
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia - UBC
Construction of a fosmid library with environmental genomic DNA isolated from the vertical depth continuum of a seasonally hypoxic fjord is described. The resulting clone library is picked into 384-well plates and archived for downstream sequencing and functional screening by the application of an automated colony picking system.
Platelet Adhesion and Aggregation Under Flow using Microfluidic Flow Cells
The platelet adhesion cascade takes place in the presence of shear flow, a factor not accounted for in conventional (static) well-plate assays. This article reports on a platelet-aggregation assay utilizing a microfluidic well-plate format to emulate physiological shear flow conditions.
Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells
1Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology - Caltech, 2Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology - Caltech
We illustrate here how to use electron cryotomography (ECT) to study the ultrastructure of bacterial cells in near-native states, to "macromolecular" (~4 nm) resolution.
Combination of Adhesive-tape-based Sampling and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization for Rapid Detection of Salmonella on Fresh Produce
1Center for Meat Safety and Quality, Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, 2Rapid Microbial Detection and Control Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University
This protocol describes a simple adhesive-tape-based approach for sampling of tomato and other fresh produce surfaces, followed by rapid whole cell detection of Salmonella using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
