400 µm Silica Beads are ideal for disrupting yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, etc.) in lysing tubes. Smaller beads, used for bacteria, lack the mass needed to crack open yeast, thus 400 micron glass beads are used. The effectiveness of 400 micron silica beads can easily be monitored by microscopically examining yeast cells following bead beating. Disrupted yeast cells appear as dark shadows (ghost yeast). Though designed for yeast, these beads have found wide application in research ranging from phase separation to protein folding to mammalian cell differentiation (see Citations).
It should be noted that smaller yeast cells, such as Pichia, may be more effectively lysed using 200 micron Zirconium beads.
These silica beads are available in Acid Washed, Low Binding, and Molecular Biology Grade format. Acid washed 400 micron silica beads are also available pre-loaded in lysing tubes. Since untreated beads are notorious for containing large amounts of debris, dust, and contaminating biomolecules, all beads are acid washed and further baked to remove organic impurities. Glass beads are also more economical than zirconium counterparts.
Low Binding Beads are chemically altered using a proprietary process to bind less biomolecules liberated from homogenized samples. Low binding beads are useful for samples with limited cells, such as dilute water samples.
Molecular Biology Grade Beads are certified nucleic acid, DNase, RNase, and protease-free. They are most appropriate for molecular biology applications, including PCR, which may be hindered by the presence of nucleases and/ or proteases.
Pre-Filled Tubes are a convenient solution for labs seeking time savings by no longer requiring researchers to weigh, fill and QC individual tubes. They are available in 2 mL skirted (i.e., self-standing) or unskirted (i.e., conical bottom) polypropylene tubes to ensure compatibility with most tube homogenizers. Clear screw caps with O-rings included.
Citations
Freire, D. P2X7 Receptor Antagonist A804598 Inhibits Inflammation in Brain and Liver in C57BL/6J Mice Exposed to Chronic Ethanol and High Fat Diet. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2019, 14 (2), 263–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11481-018-9816-3. (Reverse Transcription and Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, or RT-qPCR, of mice hypocampal and liver tissue)
Zhang, X, Kirby, SM, Chen Y, Anna, SL, Walker, LM, Hung, FR, Russo PS. Formation and Elasticity of Membranes of the Class II Hydrophobin Cerato-Ulmin at Oil-Water Interfaces. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2018, 164, 98–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.01.017. ( Cerato-ulmin enhances the stability of various colloidal systems due to its surface-active properties)
Lin, Z, Dong, M, Zhang, Y, Lee, E A, Lin, H. Cbr1 Is a Dph3 Reductase Required for the TRNA Wobble Uridine Modification. Nature Chemical Biology 2016, 12 (12), 995–997. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.2190. (Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytochrome b5 reductase (Cbr1) as a NADH-dependent reductase that provides electrons to protein Dph3)
Reichert MD, Walker, LM. Interfacial Tension Dynamics, Interfacial Mechanics, and Response to Rapid Dilution of Bulk Surfactant of a Model Oil–Water-Dispersant System. Langmuir 2013, 29 (6), 1857–1867. https://doi.org/10.1021/la4000395. (Fundamental aspects of surfactant behavior in oil-water systems, which has implications for various industrial processes and environmental applications)
Gonzalez-Montalban, N, Makarava, N, Ostapchenko VG, Savtchen R, Alexeeva I, Rohwer RG, Baskakov, IV. Highly Efficient Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification. PLOS Pathogens 2011, 7 (2), e1001277. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1001277. (Significant improvement in the process of replicating mammalian prions in vitro using Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification or PMCA)
Geissler, M, Beauregard JA, Charlebois, I, Isabel S, Normandin, F, Voisin, B, Boissinot, M, Bergeron, MG, Veres, T. Extraction of Nucleic Acids from Bacterial Spores Using Bead-Based Mechanical Lysis on a Plastic Chip. Eng. Life Sci. 2011, 11 (2), 174–181. https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.201000132. (Integration bead-based mechanical cell lysis of Bacillus atrophaeus subsp. globigii onto a plastic chip for nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR)
Shen, X, Berger CL, Tigelaar, R, Edelson, RL. Development of Immunogenic Tumor-Loaded Dendritic Cells Through Physical Perturbation and Apoptotic Cell Loading. Immunological Investigations 2008, 37 (8), 798–821. https://doi.org/10.1080/08820130802403358. (Silica beads combined with loading of apoptotic tumor cells cause synchronized and rapid conversion of human monocytes to DC for CD8+ T cells stimulation)
