Novel method for preparing spheroplasts from cells with an internal cellulosic cell wall.

Protoplast and spheroplast preparations allow the transfer of macromolecules into cells and provide the basis for the generation of engineered organisms. Crypthecodinium cohnii cells harvested from polyethylene glycol-containing agar plates possessed significantly lower levels of cellulose in their cortical layers, which facilitated the delivery of fluorescence-labeled oligonucleotides into these cells.

Mimosine, the Allelochemical from the leguminous tree Leucaena leucocephala, selectively enhances cell proliferation in dinoflagellates.

Mimosine, the allelochemical from the leguminous tree Leucaena leucocephala, is toxic to most terrestrial animals and plants. We report here that while mimosine inhibits major phytoplankton groups, it enhances cell proliferation in dinoflagellates. On addition to coastal seawater samples, mimosine is able to confer a growth advantage to dinoflagellates.