Construction and Application of Plasmid pUC19-CM-D

[Objective] The aims were to construct a new suicide plasmid of Lactobacillus and gene deletion engineering bacteria of Lactobacillus with pUC19 vector. [Methods] pUC19-CM was constructed by inserting a chloramphenicol resistant gene into the multi-cloning site of pUC19,and then two homologous fragments were cloned into each side of the pUC19-CM to construct suicide plasmid pUC19-CM-D. [Results] A replacement mutant strain,whose target gene was replaced by resistant gene,could be obtained by transforming the suicide plasmid pUC19-CM-D into Lactobacillus for resistance screening. [Conclusion] The construction and application of pUC19-CM-D provided a fast and efficient means of construction of gene deletion engineering bacteria of Lactobacillus,and laid a foundation for study of gene function of Lactobacillus.

EBNA3C combines with Gemin3 and up-regulates its expression

Objective To investigate the combination of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear protein 3C (EBNA3C) with Gemin3 and its effect on Gemin3 expression. Methods Co-immunoprecipitation, GST pull-down and immunofluorescent assay were used to determine the combination of EBNA3C and Gemin3 and their combining domain. Stable EBNA3C knockdown cell lines were made by lentivirus-delivered small hairpin RNA and then puromycin selection. Western blot was used to check the effect of EBNA3C on Gemin3 expression. Results EBNA3C and Gemin3 combined with each other in vivo and in vitro through their C-terminals. EBNA3C up-regulated Gemin3 gene expression. Conclusion EBNA3C forms complex with Gemin3 and up-regulates its expression.

RNA interference and its current application in mammals

Objective The aim of this review was to assess RNA interference (RNAi) and its possibility as a potential and powerful tool to develop highly specific double-stranded RNA ( dsRNA) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) based gene-silencing therapeutics. Data sources The data used in this review were obtained from the current RNAi-related research reports. Study selection dsRNA-mediated RNAi has recently emerged as a powerful reverse genetic tool to silence, gene expression in multiple organisms. The discovery that synthetic duplexes of 21 nucleotides siRNAs trigger gene-specific silencing in mammalian cells has further expanded the utility of RNAi in to the mammalian system. Data extraction The currently published papers reporting the discovery and mechanism of RNAi phenomena and application of RNAi on gene function in mammalian cells were included. Data synthesis Since the recent development of RNAi technology in the mammalian system, investigators have used RNAi to elucidate gene function, and to develop gene-based therapeutics by delivery exogenous siRNA or siRNA expressing vector. The general and sequence-specific inhibitory effects of RNAi that will be selective, long-term, and systemic to modulate gene targets mentioned in similar reports have caused much concern about its effectiveness in mammals and its eventual use as a therapeutic mordality. Conclusions It is certain that the ability of RNAi in mammals to silence specific genes, either when transfected directly as siRNAs or when generated from DNA vectors, will undoubtedly accelerate the study of gene function and might also be used as a potentially useful method to develop highly gene-specific therapeutic methods. It is also expected that RNAi might one day be used to treat human diseases.