May 11, 2023

Public workspaceOrganelle isolation from Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFs) stably expressing organelle tags for subsequent immunoblotting or proteomic analysis

  • 1Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
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Protocol CitationMatthew Taylor, Pui Yiu Lam, Francesca Tonelli, Dario R Alessi 2023. Organelle isolation from Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts (MEFs) stably expressing organelle tags for subsequent immunoblotting or proteomic analysis. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.ewov1o627lr2/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: April 21, 2023
Last Modified: May 31, 2024
Protocol Integer ID: 80869
Keywords: Organelle isolation from cells, ASAPCRN
Funders Acknowledgement:
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
Grant ID: ASAP-000463
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Abstract
We describe here a method to perform rapid isolation of intact organelles (including lysosomes and Golgi) from mouse embryonic fibroblasts stably expressing an organelle tag (TMEM192-3xHA, or LysoTag, and TMEM115-3xHA, or GolgiTag). First, cells are broken using a ball-bearing cell breaker, leading to plasma membrane rupture, while lysosomes and Golgi remain intact. Then, the cell homogenate is incubated with anti-HA magnetic beads to allow for immunopurification of HA-tagged lysosomes or Golgi in less than 15 minutes. The organelles purified using this method are highly enriched, intact, contaminant-free and, depending on solubilisation buffer, can be used for various downstream applications, including immunoblotting analysis and mass spectrometry proteomic analysis (as described here), but also metabolomic or lipidomic analysis. This protocol can be adapted to isolate organelles from commonly cultured cells, such as HEK293 and A549 cells, that express an organelle tag.
Attachments
Guidelines
Protocol overview:
  1. Organelle isolation from cells expressing organelle tags.
  2. Analysis of isolated organelles by immunoblotting
  3. Analysis of isolated organelles by mass spectrometry (proteomic analysis)

For the generation of MEFs stably expressing organelle tags, see dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvr456bgmk/v1
Materials
Reagents

  • MEFs stably expressing organelle tag: GolgiTag (Tmem115-3xHA) or LysoTag (Tmem192-3xHA), or control empty tag (3xHA).
Note
For the generation of MEFs stably expressing organelle tags, see dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvr456bgmk/v1

  • ReagentDPBS no calcium no magnesiumGibco - Thermo FisherCatalog #14190169

  • KPBS Buffer:
AB
KCL136 mM
KH2PO4 in MS grade water10 mM
Adjust to pH 7.25 with KOH.

  • “Supplemented KPBS” (to be prepared immediately before harvesting the cells): KPBS buffer supplemented with 1X phosSTOP phosphatase inhibitor cocktail (PhosSTOP tablet: Roche, REF# 04906837001) and 1X protease inhibitor cocktail (cOmplete EDTA-free protease inhibitor cocktail tablet: Roche, REF# 11873580001)
  • Thermo Scientific™ Pierce™ Anti-HA Magnetic Beads (Thermo Fisher Scientific, cat # 13474229)

  • Lysis Buffer for Immunoblotting analysis:
AB
Tris-HCl, pH 7.550 mM
Triton X-1001% (by volume)
glycerol10% (by volume)
NaCl150 mM
sodium orthovanadate1 mM
sodium fluoride50 mM
sodium β-glycerophosphate10 mM
sodium pyrophosphate5 mM
microcystin-LR0.1 µg/ml
cOmplete Mini (EDTA-free) protease inhibitor (Roche)1 tablet

  • Lysis Buffer for Mass spectrometry analysis:
AB
SDS2% v/v
HEPES pH 820 mM
phosSTOP phosphatase inhibitor cocktail (Roche)1X
protease inhibitor cocktail (completeEDTA-free, Roche)1X

  • STrap washing buffer:
AB
MeOH90%
TEABC at pH 7.210%
  • LC-MS grade H2O (ReagentLC-grade WaterFisher ScientificCatalog #10777404 )
  • ReagentTriethylammonium bicarbonate bufferMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #18597 – Make a Concentration50 millimolar (mM) and Concentration300 millimolar (mM) stock in LC-MS grade H2O, Ph8
  • ReagentPierce™ TCEP-HClThermo FisherCatalog #20491 –Make a Concentration100 millimolar (mM) stock in Concentration300 millimolar (mM) TEABC
  • ReagentIodoacetamideMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #I1149 – Make a Concentration200 millimolar (mM) stock in Concentration300 millimolar (mM) TEABC
  • ReagentTrypsin/Lys-C Mix, Mass Spec Grade, 5 x 20ugPromegaCatalog #V5073 ) – Amount20 µg of trypsin/Lys-C reconstitute in Amount800 µL of Concentration50 millimolar (mM) TEABC at a final concentration of Amount25 µg/mL
  • ReagentSDS Micro-PelletsFormediumCatalog #SDS0500 – make a 20% solution in MilliQ water
  • ReagentPhosphoric acidMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #345245 – Make a 12.5% solution in MilliQ water
  • ReagentMethanol LC-MS grade B&J BrandVWR InternationalCatalog #BJLC230-2.5
  • ReagentAcetonitrile LC-MS grade B&J BrandVWR InternationalCatalog #BJLC015-2.5
  • Formic acid (Sigma; Cat # 56302)
  • ReagentTrifluoroacetic acidMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #T6508

Equipment

Equipment
BELLY DANCER ORBITAL SHAKER
NAME
ORBITAL SHAKER
TYPE
IBI
BRAND
BDRAA115S
SKU
LINK

Equipment
DynaMag-2
NAME
Magnet
TYPE
Invitrogen
BRAND
12321D
SKU
LINK

  • Isobiotec Cell-Breaker (isobiotec Vertriebs UG)
Equipment
Micro Star 17 / 17R, Microcentrifuges, Ventilated/Refrigerated
NAME
Microcentrifuge
TYPE
VWR®
BRAND
521-1647
SKU
LINK

  • Bioruptor (Diagenode)
  • Thermomixer (Eppendorf, UK)
  • SpeedVac Vacuum Concentrator
  • UltiMate 3000 RSLC nano-HPLC system (Thermo Fisher Scientific, UK) coupled to an Orbitrap ExplorisTM 480 mass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, UK)
  • Precolumn: Acclaim PepMapTM 100, C18, 100 µm x 2 cm, 5 µm, 100 Å
  • Analytical column: PepMapTM RSLC C18, 75 µm x 50 cm, 2 µm, 100 Å

Consumables

  • ReagentCorning® cell lifterMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #CLS3008-100EA
  • ReagentSafeSeal reaction tube 1.5 ml PP PCR Performance Tested Low protein-bindingSarstedtCatalog #72.706.600
  • ReagentGreiner Bio-One™ Polypropylene Pipette TipFisher ScientificCatalog #686271 and ReagentPIPETTE TIP 10 - 100 µL SUITABLE FOR EPPENDORF 96 PIECES / ST RACKgreiner bio-oneCatalog #685261
  • Stripetter/stripette gun and stripettes
  • Set of Gilson pipettes P10, P200, P1000
  • ReagentTerumo® Syringe 3-part SyringeTerumoCatalog #MDSS01SE
  • ReagentBecton Dickinson Disposable needles 21G x 1 1/2 inch Becton-DickinsonCatalog #304432
  • ReagentSyringe PP/PE without needleMerck MilliporeSigma (Sigma-Aldrich)Catalog #Z116866
  • ReagentS-Trap™ micro columns (≤ 100 μg)ProtifiCatalog #C02-micro

Isobiotec cell-breaker assembly
Isobiotec cell-breaker assembly
Insert the metal ball of choice inside the cell breaker.
Note
Note: For MEFs, we recommend a 12 μm clearance.

Screw the lids on tightly.
Push Amount3 mL of KPBS through the cell breaker to wash it.

Wash
Carefully tap dry.
Place the cell-breaker on aluminium foil TemperatureOn ice until use (Step 28).
To clean the Isobiotec cell-breaker between samples and at the end of the experiment:
Open the cell-breaker from one side.
Take the metal ball out and rinse with MillIQ water.
Flush the cell breaker thoroughly with MilliQ water using 5-mL syringes through both syringe inlets whilst covering the opening on the side of the cell breaker.
Reassemble the cell-breaker by re-inserting the metal ball into the instrument and close the side panel tightly using the screws.
Flush the cell breaker through both syringe inlets with Amount5 mL of KPBS using 5-ml syringes.
Note
Note: There will be some residual KPBS left in the cell-breaker (approximately Amount200 µL ), this is optimal.


Proceed to homogenise the next sample.
Once finished, flush the cell breaker thoroughly with MilliQ water using 5-mL syringes through both syringe inlets whilst covering the opening on the side of the cell breaker.
Take all pieces apart (both side panels, panel screws and the metal ball).
Clean each part with a generous amount of 70% (v/v) ethanol in MilliQ water.
Wipe all parts dry and leave pieces apart to air-dry DurationOvernight .
Note
Note: Packing up the cell-breaker before it is dry will lead to development of rust and colouring of the metal parts.


Overnight
Anti-HA Magnetic beads preparation
Anti-HA Magnetic beads preparation
Transfer n x Amount100 µL of anti-HA Magnetic Beads (where n = number of samples) into a low binding Eppendorf tube.
Immobilize the beads by placing the tube into a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Remove the supernatant using a pipette.
Gently resuspend the beads in Amount1 mL of KPBS.

Repeat steps 8 to 10.
Immobilize the beads by placing the tube into a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Remove the supernatant using a pipette.
Gently resuspend the beads from step 13 in n x Amount100 µL of KPBS (where n = number of samples you have) to make a 1:1 slurry.

Aliquot the washed beads from step 14 into fresh low-binding Eppendorf tubes (Amount100 µL of slurry for each sample).
Leave the tubes TemperatureOn ice until use (step 34).

Organelle isolation from cells expressing organelle tags
Organelle isolation from cells expressing organelle tags
For each experimental condition, seed cells into one 15 cm dish.
Note
Note: In parallel, seed cells transduced to express HA-empty as a control.

When cells have reached a confluency of ~ 90%, aspirate the culture medium.
Quickly wash once by adding Amount5 mL of PBS at TemperatureRoom temperature .

Pipetting
Wash
Completely aspirate the PBS.
Add Amount1 mL of ice-cold supplemented KPBS.

Pipetting
Place the cell dishes TemperatureOn ice .

Scrape the cells on the dish using a cell lifter to ensure all cells are detached from the dish.
Using a pipette, transfer the cell suspension to a low binding Eppendorf TemperatureOn ice .

Spin down at Centrifigation1000 x g, 4°C, 00:02:00 .

2m
Centrifigation
Discard the supernatant.
Resuspend the pellet in Amount1 mL of ice-cold supplemented KPBS.

Using a 1-ml syringe and 21G needle, transfer the cell suspension from step 27 into a KPBS rinsed, ice-cold Isobiotec cell-breaker (with gap-size of Thikness12 µm ) kept TemperatureOn ice (Step 5).

Homogenise the cells with 10 passes through the cell breaker using 2 x 1-ml syringes.
Note
Note:
  • One pass is defined by the cell suspension passing through both syringes.
  • The homogenisation requires more force with more passes. Pay extra care to make sure the syringes are securely in their seals and that the sample doesn’t leak out. If you encounter too much pressure for passing the homogenate through the cell-breaker, consider using a ball that leaves a larger clearance gap.

Collect the homogenate from the cell breaker into a fresh Eppendorf tube using a 1-ml syringe.
Note
Note: To extract as much sample as possible from the cell-breaker post-homogenisation, push air into the cell-breaker using a syringe and collect from the other seal using another syringe.

Transfer the resulting homogenate to a low binding Eppendorf TemperatureOn ice .

Preclear the homogenate by centrifugation at Centrifigation1000 x g, 4°C, 00:02:00 .

2m
Centrifigation
For each sample, transfer Amount100 µL to a new low binding Eppendorf (= input) TemperatureOn ice .

Add the remaining homogenate to Amount100 µL of the pre-washed HA-Magnetic beads (Step 16).

Pipetting
Mix gently by flicking the bottom of the tube.
Mix
Incubate with agitation on a Belly Dancer orbital shaker for Duration00:05:00 at Temperature4 °C .

5m
Incubation

Note
The following steps should ideally be performed in a Temperature4 °C cold room. If not available, then keep working TemperatureOn ice .

Place the tubes from Step 36 on a magnetic tube holder for Duration00:00:30 to immobilise the beads.

30s
Discard the supernatant or collect as a flow-through sample.
Resuspend the beads from Step 38 in Amount1 mL of supplemented KBPS.

Immobilise the beads by placing the tubes in a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Discard the supernatant.
Repeat steps 39 to 41 twice.
Resuspend the beads in Amount1 mL of supplemented KPBS and transfer to a new low binding Eppendorf tube TemperatureOn ice .

Place the tubes in a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Discard the supernatant.
The organelle IP beads (from step 45) and the input (from step 33) can now be processed for either 1) immunoblotting analysis, or 2) mass spectrometry analysis, as detailed below..
Sample analysis by immunoblotting
Sample analysis by immunoblotting
Input (from step 33)
Dilute in Lysis Buffer compatible for Immunoblotting analysis to a 1:1 ratio.
Incubate TemperatureOn ice for Duration00:10:00 .

10m
Incubation
Clarify by centrifugation at Centrifigation17000 x g, 4°C, 00:10:00 .

10m
Centrifigation
Transfer the supernatant to a new low binding tube.
Organelle IP beads (from step 45).
Resuspend in Amount100 µL of lysis buffer compatible for immunoblot analysis.

Incubate TemperatureOn ice for Duration00:10:00 .

10m
Incubation
Immobilise the beads by placing the tubes in a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Transfer the supernatant to a new low binding tube.
Quantify protein concentration by BCA assay.
Samples can be analysed by quantitative immunoblotting analysis as described in dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bsgrnbv6, ensuring an equal protein amount of both the input and IP is loaded (~ Amount2 µg ).
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Sample Processing
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Sample Processing
Input (from step 33):
Dilute in lysis buffer compatible for mass spectrometry analysis to a 1:1 ratio.
Sonicate using a Bioruptor (Duration00:00:30 ON, Duration00:00:30 OFF for 15 cycles).

1m
Clarify by centrifugation at Centrifigation17000 x g, 4°C, 00:10:00 .

10m
Centrifigation
Transfer the supernatant to a clean low binding tube.
Organelle IP beads (from step 45):
Resuspend in Amount100 µL of lysis buffer compatible for mass spectrometry analysis.

Incubate at TemperatureRoom temperature for Duration00:10:00 .

10m
Incubation
Sonicate using a Bioruptor (Duration00:00:30 ON, Duration00:00:30 OFF for 15 cycles).

1m
Immobilise the beads by placing the tubes in a Dyna-Mag tube holder for Duration00:00:30 .

30s
Transfer the supernatant to a new low binding tube.
Reduction: Add TCEP to the samples from step 51.4 and 52.5 to a final concentration of Concentration5 millimolar (mM) and place on a thermomixer at Shaker1100 rpm, 60°C, 00:30:00 .

Pipetting
Cool the samples down to TemperatureRoom temperature .

Alkylation: Add IAA to the samples from step 54 to a final concentration of Concentration20 millimolar (mM) and place on a thermomixer at Shaker1100 rpm, 25°C, 00:30:00 , shielded from light.

Pipetting
Add sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to a final concentration of 5% (v/v) and phosphoric acid to a final concentration of 1.2% (v/v) to the samples from step 55.
Dilute the sample with an additional volume of wash buffer (wash buffer volume equals to 6-fold of the sample volume) (90% MeOH, 10% TEABC at Ph7.2 ) and mix by vortexing.
Mix
Load each sample onto a S-TrapTM column.
Centrifuge at Centrifigation1000 x g, 00:01:00 .

1m
Centrifigation
Discard the flow-through.
Wash the S-TrapTM columns three times with Amount150 µL wash buffer (90% MeOH, 10% TEABC at Ph7.2 ). Discard the flowthrough after each wash.

Wash
Transfer the S-Trap column to a fresh 1.5-mL low binding tube.
Prepare a Trypsin/Lys-C Mix in Concentration50 millimolar (mM) TEABC solution, Ph8 to a Amount25 µg/mL concentration.

On-column digestion: Add Amount60 µL (Amount1.5 µg ) Trypsin/Lys-C Mix from step 63 to each S-Trap column from step 61 and incubate on a thermomixer at Temperature47 °C for Duration01:00:00 with no agitation.

1h
Incubation
Pipetting
Reduce the temperature on the thermomixer to Temperature22 °C and incubate DurationOvernight with no agitation.

1h
Incubation
Overnight
Peptide elution: Add Amount60 µL of Concentration50 millimolar (mM) TEABC solution, pH Ph8 to each S-Trap column and centrifuge.

Pipetting
Add Amount60 µL of 0.15% (v/v) formic acid (FA) aqueous solution to each S-Trap column and centrifuge.

Pipetting
Add Amount60 µL of elution buffer (80% ACN with 0.15% FA in aqueous solution) to each S-Trap column and centrifuge.

Pipetting
Repeat step 68.
Discard the S-Trap columns.
Snap-freeze the samples on dry ice.
Dry the samples at Temperature35 °C using a SpeedVac Vacuum Concentrator.

Resuspend the samples from step 72 in Amount60 µL solution containing 3% (v/v) ACN and 0.1% (v/v) FA in LC-MS grade H2O.

Incubate the samples on a thermomixer at Shaker1200 rpm, 22°C, 00:30:00 .

Incubation
Sonicate the samples for Duration00:30:00 in a water bath.

30m
Estimate peptide concentration of each sample using a NanoDrop instrument by measuring the solution absorbance A280 at 224 nm wavelength.
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Sample Injection onto Mass Spectrometer
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Sample Injection onto Mass Spectrometer

Note
Note: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is performed using an UltiMate 3000 RSLC nano-HPLC system coupled to an Orbitrap ExplorisTM480 mass spectrometer.
For each sample, load Amount4 µg of digested protein sample onto the nano-HPLC system individually.

Trap the peptides using a precolumn (Acclaim PepMapTM 100, C18, 100 µm x 2 cm, 5 µm, 100 Å) using an aqueous solution containing 0.1% (v/v) TFA.
Separate the peptides using an analytical column (PepMapTM RSLC C18, 75 µm x 50 cm, 2 µm, 100 Å) at Temperature45 °C using
  • a linear gradient of 8 to 25% solvent B (an 80% ACN and 0.1% FA solution) for Duration01:38:00 ,
  • 25 to 37% solvent B for Duration00:15:00 ,
  • 37 to 95% solvent B for Duration00:02:00 ,
  • 95% solvent B for Duration00:08:30 ,
  • 95% to 3% solvent B for Duration00:00:30 , and
  • 3% solvent B for Duration00:09:30 .
Set the flow rate at 250 nL/min.

2h 13m 30s
Acquire data in data-independent acquisition (DIA) mode containing 45 isolated m/z windows ranging from 350 to 1500.
Use a higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) with nitrogen for peptide fragmentation with the following isolation window:
ABC
m/z z Isolation Window
383.4 3 66.8
423.0 3 13.5
435.0 3 11.5
446.5 3 12.5
458.0 3 11.5
469.0 3 11.5
480.0 3 11.5
490.5 3 10.5
501.0 3 11.5
512.0 3 11.5
523.0 3 11.5
533.5 3 10.5
544.0 3 11.5
554.5 3 10.5
565.0 3 11.5
575.5 3 10.5
586.0 3 11.5
597.5 3 12.5
609.5 3 12.5
621.5 3 12.5
633.0 3 11.5
645.0 3 13.5
657.5 3 12.5
670.5 3 14.5
684.0 3 13.5
697.0 3 13.5
710.5 3 14.5
725.5 3 16.5
741.0 3 15.5
756.5 3 16.5
773.5 3 18.5
791.0 3 17.5
808.5 3 18.5
827.0 3 19.5
846.5 3 20.5
866.5 3 20.5
887.5 3 22.5
910.5 3 24.5
935.5 3 26.5
962.5 3 28.5
992.0 3 31.5
1025.0 3 35.5
1063.0 3 41.5
1108.5 3 50.5
1391.6 3 516.8
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Data analysis
Sample analysis by Mass Spectrometry: Data analysis
The DIA MS experiment's raw data were analysed using the DIA-NN software (Reference 1), employing a library-free search mode based on a reviewed Swiss-Prot database downloaded from UniProt.
Trypsin/P was selected as the digestive enzyme, and up to 2 missed cleavages were allowed. Carbamidomethylation at Cysteine residue was set as a fixed modification, while oxidation at methionine residue was included as a variable modification. The software automatically detected and adjusted the mass error (ppm).
A protein identification cut-off of 1% FDR was used, and a protein quantification required a minimum of 2 peptides in at least 75% samples.
The protein group search results generated from DIA-NN software were then imported into Perseus software (Reference 2) for statistical analysis.
For the organelle-IP samples, IP samples were first compared against the relevant mock IP samples to classify proteins significantly enriched, using a fold-change > 1.5 and p-value < 0.05.
The organelle enriched proteins were then compared against genotypes or treatments to investigate protein level changes at the targeted organelle.
For the whole cell lysate samples, proteins were directly compared against genotypes or treatments to determine the proteome changes in the cells.
Significant up-/down-regulated proteins (fold-change > |1.5| and p-value < 0.05) obtained from organelle-IP and whole cell lysate samples were then submitted to metascape (reference 3) for enrichment analysis.
The clustering analysis using metascape focuses on enrichment of GO biological processes pathway, GO molecular functions, and GO cellular components with p-value < 0.01.
The text files generated from Perseus software were imported into an in-house software, Curtain 2.0, for data visualisation.
Protocol references
References

1. Demichev, V.; Messner, C. B.; Vernardis, S. I.; Lilley, K. S.; Ralser, M., DIA-NN: neural networks and interference correction enable deep proteome coverage in high throughput. Nat Methods 2020,17 (1), 41-44.

2. Tyanova, S.; Temu, T.; Sinitcyn, P.; Carlson, A.; Hein, M. Y.; Geiger, T.; Mann, M.; Cox, J., The Perseus computational platform
for comprehensive analysis of (prote)omics data. Nature Methods 2016,13 (9), 731-740.

3. Zhou, Y.; Zhou, B.; Pache, L.; Chang, M.; Khodabakhshi, A. H.; Tanaseichuk, O.; Benner, C.; Chanda, S. K., Metascape provides a biologist-oriented resource for the analysis of systems-level datasets. Nat Commun 2019,10 (1), 1523.

4. dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvr456bgmk/v1

5. dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bsgrnbv6