title: Preparation and characterization of mitotic cytoskeletons from embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus.
abstract: We present here a preparation protocol and molecular characterization of mitotic cytoskeletons isolated from embryos of the spiny red sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus. The mitotic cytoskeletons are produced by detergent lysis of S. franciscanus embryos during cell division and consist of a mitotic apparatus enclosed in a thin shell of cortical filaments. Mitotic cytoskeletons produced in this way are stable for a year at liquid nitrogen temperature. S. franciscanus is of interest because it is commercially available in large quantities and each animal provides prodigious amounts of gametes. Furthermore, embryos from this sea urchin will develop synchronously at high densities and are an excellent source of quantities of cytoskeletal proteins appropriate for biochemical studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D008938:Mitosis; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000196:embryology*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases