Philippe Metezeau

Discrimination of Respiratory Dysfunction in Yeast Mutants by Confocal Microscopy, Image, and Flow Cytometry

Living yeast cells can be selectively stained with the lipophilic cationic cyanine dye DiOC6(3) in a mitochondrial membrane potential-dependent manner. Our study extends the use of flow cytometric analysis and sorting to DiOC6(3)-stained yeast cells. Experimental conditions were developed that prevented the toxic side effect of the probe and gave a quantitative correlation between fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential, without any staining of other membranes. The localization of the fluorochrome was checked by confocal microscopy and image cytometry. The mitochondrial membrane alterations were also tested through cardiolipin staining with nonyl acridine orange. Differences in light scattering and in fluorescence were detected in mutants (rho-, rho degrees, mit-, or pet-) and wild-type (rho+mit+) populations of yeast. The dye uptake of respiratory-deficient yeast strains was significantly reduced as compared to that of the wild-type. Application of an uncoupler (mCICCP), which collapsed the mitochondrial membrane potential (alphapsi(m)), led to a drastic reduction of the dye uptake. It was observed that a decrease in deltapsi(m), was usually correlated with a decrease in cardiolipin stainability by nonyl acridine orange (NAO). Quantitative flow cytometry is a fast and reproducible technique for rapid screening of yeast strains that might be suspected of respiratory dysfunction and/or mitochondrial structural changes. We give evidence that it is an adequate method to characterize and isolate respiratory mutants through sorting procedure, with selective enrichment of the population studied in respiring or non-respiring yeast cells. Confocal microscopy and image cytometry corroborate the flow cytometry results.

Flow cytometry isolation and improved visualization of sorted mouse chromosomes: Purification of chromosomes X and ISO-1 from cell lines with Robertsonian translocations☆☆☆

While analysis and sorting of human chromosomes by flow cytometry has been widely used, isolation of a pure mouse chromosome remains very difficult, since most murine chromosomes are quite similar in size. To overcome this problem, we have analysed mouse cell lines having either Robertsonian translocations or isochromosomes. The resulting metacentric chromosomes are very different in size and in morphology from normal mouse acrocentric chromosomes. These characteristics have been analysed by computer-monitored flow cytometry, facilitated by improvements in the chromosome extraction procedure. Signals characteristic of the iso-lq chromosome in cell line PCC4 azaR1, and of the normal X chromosome in the mouse strain 22CD have thus been obtained. These chromosomes have been sorted and can be easily recognized by fluorescence microscopy when collected onto serum-albumin-coated microscope slides. The technical modifications made, coupled with the existence of a great diversity of metacentric chromosomes resulting from Robertsonian translocations, should allow the purification of a number of different mouse chromosomes.

Flow cytometric assessment of cell viability: a multifaceted analysis

Flow cytometry offers the possibility to simultaneously analyze, on a cell by cell basis, different parameters related to cell viability i.e. cell size, morphology and incorporation of dyes. Different types of analysis: light absorption of unstained/stained cells, forward angle light scattering (FALS), right angle light scattering (RALS) or both, cell fluorescence based on dye retention or dye exclusion (due to erythrosin B, ethidium bromide, fluorescein diacetate, rhodamine 123) were tested and compared, with the classical Trypan blue exclusion test, for their effectiveness in the determination of cell viability. Two types of cells in monolayer cultures (L929, SIRC) and a freshly isolated suspension of mouse splenocytes were used. For each dye, the optimal dose, incubation time and conditions for analysis were determined. Viability indications by different techniques for the three type of cell line and their reliability as compared with Trypan blue were analyzed.

Effects of maitotoxin on calcium entry and phosphoinositidebreakdown in the rabbit ciliated tracheal epithelium

Summary— Maitotoxin induces a concentration‐dependent 45Ca uptake in primary cultures of rabbit tracheal epithelial cells. This response is insensitive to the calcium channel antagonists nifedipine, diltiazem and verapamil up to 20 μM. However, verapamil at 200 μM completely prevents 45Ca uptake. Measurements of indo‐1 fluorescence show that MTX induces a very sustained (≥ 2 h) [Ca]i rise, which is completely inhibited by 200 μM of verapamil. Genistein (110 μM) (an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases) also strongly inhibits it. The inhibitory effect of 50 μM miconazole (an inhibitor of cytochrome P450) is only partial. Okadaic acid (inhibitor of protein‐phosphatases) primarily delays the response to the toxin without decreasing its magnitude. MTX induces the formation of (1,4,5) inositol trisphosphate (IP3). The MTX response curve is biphasic. Stimulation is transient (5 10 min) and is not inhibited by chelation of intracellular Cai with BAPTA, nor by verapamil (200 μM) or U73122 (10 μM) (an inhibitor of activation of PLCPI through a trimeric G protein). Results suggest that MTX independently activates a calcium transport process (which might imply phosphorylation on tyrosine residues) and a PLC not linked to a trimeric G protein.

The kinetics and homogeneity of endocytosis of a receptor-bound ligand in a heterogeneous cell population studied by flow cytofluorometry.

A method is described to study quantitatively and rapidly the kinetics of endocytosis of a receptor-bound ligand by cells of various subclasses within a heterogeneous cell population. The time course of the internalization of the bound ligand is followed by labeling, with a fluorescent antibody, the ligand molecules exposed on the cell surface at various times of the endocytosis process, and by measuring with a flow cytofluorometer the fluorescence of a large number of individual cell within the total cell population. A convenient mathematical treatment of the data is proposed for analyzing the experimental results. This method is applied to the kinetic study of the endocytosis of rabbit antibodies (anti-mouse immunoglobulin) by B-lymphocytes within a mouse spleen cell suspension.

Image and flow cytometry: Companion techniques for adherent and non-adherent cell analysis and sorting

Summary— Flow cytometry (FMC) is an analytical and preparative technique whereas image analysis is only applied to cell analysis. Recently, image analysis has been adapted as a preparative method using a new technique: image cytometry for analysis and sorting (ICAS). FCM and ICAS are complementary. Flow cytometry allows rapid, quantitative and precise study of fluorescence and light scattering in a large number of cells in suspension, while ICAS analyses fewer cells (adherent cells or tissue) on the basis of fluorescence, morphology and size. ICAS can use these criteria to destroy unwanted cells and hence sort selected cells. ICAS can also be used for confocal microscopy and laser surgery.

Analysis and sorting of chromosomes by flow cytometry: new trends

Summary— Flow cytogenetic is widely used since 1975, and essentially contributes to caryotype analysis and chromosome sorting. The principles of experimentation and its possibilities and limitations are now well known. Recently several new technologies have appeared. What attitude should the cytometrist adopt regarding PCR, microdissection of chromosomes, in situ hybridization, slit‐scan flow cytometry or image analysis?

Botulinum toxin type A: kinetics of calcium dependent paralysis of the neuromuscular junction and antagonism by drugs and animal toxins

The effect of botulinum Toxin (BoTx), which blocks the mechanism of release of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions and induces paralysis of muscles stimulated by nerves, is known to be Ca2+-dependent. Amplitude of muscular contractions evoked by nerve impulse was studied in BoTx poisoned preparations. The present report notes that an increase in Ca2+ concentration in vitro delays paralysis of muscular contractions of the frog evoked by nerve impulse. The restorative effect of different drugs on this paralysis has been tested: 4-aminopyridine, ATXII (toxin isolated and purified from the sea anemone Anemonia sulcata tentacles) and a crude venom isolated from the scorpion Androctonus australis antagonize the BotX induced paralysis at physiological concentrations of Ca2+ (Cao2+ = 2 mM), whereas the restorative effect observed with tetra-ethylammonium or guanidine occurs at higher concentrations of Ca2+ (Cao2+ = 4 mM), as in mammals. ATXII restores in vivo the activity of a BoTx paralysed muscle of guinea pig and this effect is more efficient if the interval between the injection of BoTx and ATXII is shortened. These results on the frog and guinea pig are in agreement with those obtained on other biological preparations by several investigators. Moreover it is suggested that the antagonism of BoTx induced paralysis is a consequence of the increase in Ca2+ at the nerve ending. The efficiency of 4-aminopyridine and animal toxins is explained by an action on the nerve ending, by increasing Ca2+ from an interval compartment of the cell, whereas antagonism produced by guanidine and tetraethylammonium involves uptake of Ca2+ from the external medium. The bathing medium must be at a higher concentration of Ca2+ than usual. This explains the differences in antagonism obtained by these drugs and toxins in vitro and in vivo.

Isolation of subtelomeric DNA sequences labelling sheep and goat chromosome ends

Two techniques that make it possible to isolate telomere DNA are presented, using sheep as an example. The first technique is based upon the screening of a sheep BAC library with PCR amplified DNA segments preserved from high-power laser beam irradiation. Twenty-three BACs hybridising to 13 subtelomeric regions in sheep and goats were obtained (out of 27 in the sheep complement), of which 13 recognised more than one region, telomeric or not. Twenty-three microsatellites were isolated from these BACs and 22 were genetically mapped on the sheep international genetic map, always consistently with the cytogenetical localisation in 17 cases out of 22. These results are discussed. The second technique is based upon the selective cloning of subtelomeric enriched DNA. Preliminary results were obtained by this approach.

Construction and characterization of a DNA library from mouse chromosomes 19 purified by flow cytometry

In spite of the constant development concerning physical mapping of eukaryotic genomes, the mouse chromosome 19 remains poorly characterized. In order to improve the possibilities for studying this chromosome, we have constructed a chromosome‐specific EcoRI DNA fragment library from mouse chromosomes 19 sorted by flow cytometry. The resulting library contains about 3 × 104 recombinant clones. The identified inserts range in size from about 0.2–10 kb, with a 4 kb average size and with no observable redundancy. The purity of the library has been analyzed by flow‐blot. For that purpose, chromosomes from 2 cell lines, 1 with a normal karyotype and 1 with translocated chromosome 19, were sorted on nylon filters and hybridized with 9 clones of the library. Results show that 5 clones out of the 9 clearly originate from sorted chromosomes 19 and 3 and are likely to be derived from its DNA, thus indicating that the library of chromosome 19 is of high purity.