Isolation of Mitochondria and Chloroplasts from Euglena gracilis Z

Euglena gracilis has emerged as the most extensively investigated model organism within the euglenid protists, yielding a substantial body of biological insights to date. This species has undergone a distinctive evolutionary trajectory via secondary endosymbiosis, and its metabolic profile exhibits both heterotrophic and photoautotrophic features, contingent upon culture conditions and environmental stimuli. The isolation of mitochondria and chloroplasts not only serves as a means for conducting detailed physiological and biochemical analyses of these organelles but also facilitates targeted proteomic and metabolomic investigations. These approaches are expected to significantly advance the understanding of the biological properties of E. gracilis. This chapter presents the methodology employed in our laboratory for the isolation of mitochondria and chloroplasts from E. gracilis.