Enzymes For The Preparation of Protoplasts
Cell walls are made of a variety of polysaccharides. Protoplasts can be made by degrading cell walls with a mixture of the appropriate polysaccharide-degrading enzymes:
| Type of cell | Enzyme |
|---|---|
| Plant cells | Cellulase, pectinase, xylanase |
| Gram-positive bacteria | Lysozyme (+EDTA) |
| Fungal cells | Chitinase |
During and subsequent to digestion of the cell wall, the protoplast becomes very sensitive to osmotic stress. This means cell wall digestion and protoplast storage must be done in an isotonic solution to prevent rupture of the plasma membrane.
Read more about this topic: Protoplast
Famous quotes containing the word preparation:
“Living each day as a preparation for the next is an exciting way to live. Looking forward to something is much more fun than looking back at something—and much more constructive. If we can prepare ourselves so that we never have to think, “Oh, if I had only known, if I had only been ready,” our lives can really be the great adventure we so passionately want them to be.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)