Biomaterial Database

The purification and characterization of Dictyostelium discoideum plasma membranes. 1977

N R Gilkes, and G Weeks

A new procedure for the purification of plasma membranes of Dictyostelium discoideum is described. Cells are broken by vigorously stirring in the presence of glass beads, and plasma membranes are isolated by equilibrium sucrose density centrifugation. The purified membranes are considerably enriched in alkaline phosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase and contain very low levels of succinate dehydrogenase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase. The purified membranes contain relatively high levels of phospholipid, sterol and carbohydrate. They appear as a relatively homogeneous population of membrane vesicles in the electron microscope. This new method of purification is compared to previously published procedures which have been found to be unsuitable for our purposes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008055	Lipids	A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Lipid
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009235	Myxomycetes	A division of organisms that exist vegetatively as complex mobile plasmodia, reproduce by means of spores, and have complex life cycles. They are now classed as protozoa but formerly were considered fungi.	Myxomycota,Protosteliomycetes,Slime Molds, Plasmodial,Slime Molds, True,Mold, Plasmodial Slime,Mold, True Slime,Molds, Plasmodial Slime,Molds, True Slime,Myxomycete,Myxomycotas,Plasmodial Slime Mold,Plasmodial Slime Molds,Protosteliomycete,Slime Mold, Plasmodial,Slime Mold, True,True Slime Mold,True Slime Molds
D009251	NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein Reductase	A flavoprotein that catalyzes the reduction of heme-thiolate-dependent monooxygenases and is part of the microsomal hydroxylating system. EC 1.6.2.4.	Cytochrome P-450 Reductase,Ferrihemoprotein P-450 Reductase,NADPH Cytochrome P-450 Oxidoreductase,NADPH Cytochrome P-450 Reductase,NADPH Cytochrome c Reductase,Cytochrome P-450 Oxidase,Cytochrome P450 Reductase,Ferrihemoprotein P450 Reductase,NADPH Cytochrome P450 Oxidoreductase,NADPH Cytochrome P450 Reductase,NADPH-Cytochrome P450 Reductase,NADPH-P450 Reductase,Cytochrome P 450 Oxidase,Cytochrome P 450 Reductase,Ferrihemoprotein P 450 Reductase,NADPH Cytochrome P 450 Oxidoreductase,NADPH Cytochrome P 450 Reductase,NADPH Ferrihemoprotein Reductase,NADPH P450 Reductase,Oxidase, Cytochrome P-450,P-450 Oxidase, Cytochrome,P450 Reductase, Cytochrome,P450 Reductase, NADPH-Cytochrome,Reductase, Cytochrome P-450,Reductase, Cytochrome P450,Reductase, Ferrihemoprotein P-450,Reductase, Ferrihemoprotein P450,Reductase, NADPH-Cytochrome P450,Reductase, NADPH-Ferrihemoprotein,Reductase, NADPH-P450
D009708	Nucleotidases	A class of enzymes that catalyze the conversion of a nucleotide and water to a nucleoside and orthophosphate. EC 3.1.3.-.
D002241	Carbohydrates	A class of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of Cn(H2O)n. The largest class of organic compounds, including STARCH; GLYCOGEN; CELLULOSE; POLYSACCHARIDES; and simple MONOSACCHARIDES.	Carbohydrate
D002458	Cell Fractionation	Techniques to partition various components of the cell into SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS.	Cell Fractionations,Fractionation, Cell,Fractionations, Cell
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002499	Centrifugation, Density Gradient	Separation of particles according to density by employing a gradient of varying densities. At equilibrium each particle settles in the gradient at a point equal to its density. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Centrifugations, Density Gradient,Density Gradient Centrifugation,Density Gradient Centrifugations,Gradient Centrifugation, Density,Gradient Centrifugations, Density
D004023	Dictyostelium	A genus of protozoa, formerly also considered a fungus. Its natural habitat is decaying forest leaves, where it feeds on bacteria. D. discoideum is the best-known species and is widely used in biomedical research.	Dictyostelium discoideum,Dictyostelium discoideums,Dictyosteliums,discoideum, Dictyostelium