Nicotiana ovule extracts induce nuclear reconstitution of demembranated Xenopus sperm in cell-free system

Nicotiana tabaccum ovule extracts induced nuclear reconstitution of demembranated Xenopus leavis sperm in a cell-free system. Demembranated Xenopus sperm began to swell after 15 min of incubation with Nicotiana ovule extracts. Accompanying the process of incubation, Xenopus sperm decondensed and their shapes changed gradually from long and ellipse to round. The completely decondensed chromatin was surrounded with membrane structure, which was a mixture envelope of a double membrane and a single membrane. Nucleosome assembly was verified by means of micrococcal nuclease digestion to re-constituted nuclei and DNA electrophoresis. Nicotiana ovule extracts supplied one more experimental model and system. The new system could promote powerfully the research on mechanisms of cell division and cell cycle regulation.