Micropreparation of single secretory glands from the carnivorous plant Nepenthes

Anal Biochem. 2009 Nov 1;394(1):135-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2009.07.013. Epub 2009 Jul 12.

Abstract

A rapid mechanical micropreparation technique has been developed to isolate multicellular glands, here from Nepenthes pitchers, based on a microdissection platform. The method is an alternative to laser capture dissection because fresh plant tissue can be used directly without previous fixation. Subsequent experiments, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of an individual gene encoding a thaumatin-like protein and RNA extraction for gene expression analysis, have been successfully added to prove the quality of the prepared biological material. The procedure described is adaptable to a broad range of plant species and should find wide application in the preparation of multicellular glands or other tissues.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Genes, Plant
  • Magnoliopsida / anatomy & histology*
  • Magnoliopsida / genetics
  • Microdissection / methods*
  • Microscopy
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Time Factors