siRNA / RNAi /miRNA transfection Human Cells KG-1

Get tips on using GenJet™ In Vitro DNA Transfection Reagent to perform DNA transfection Mammalian cells - Immortalized cell lines MCF-7

Get tips on using X-tremeGENE™ HP DNA Transfection Reagent to perform DNA transfection Mammalian cells - Immortalized cell lines MDA-MB-231

Get tips on using NucleoSpin® miRNA to perform RNA isolation / purification Cells - primary human mesenchymal stem cells

Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) can be challenging, particularly during detection/confirmation of (SDM) in colonies by sequencing or PCR techniques. This common issue in SDM is heavily relying on designing of mutagenic primer pairs. The best solution is to design the mutagenic primers that have extended 3'-ends/3'-overhang. This would provide the annealing region between the mutagenic primer pair is essentially shorter. and hence ensure a lower annealing temperature for the primer pair along with a higher chance of annealing to the template.

The estimation of DNA methylation level heavily depends on the complete conversion of non-methylated DNA cytosines. It is crucial to ensure complete conversion of non-methylated cytosines in DNA. Therefore, it is important to incorporate controls for bisulfite reactions, as well as to pay attention to the appearance of cytosines in non-CpG sites after sequencing, which is an indicator of incomplete conversion.

Get tips on using JetPrime to perform DNA transfection Mammalian cells - Immortalized cell lines PANC-1

Get tips on using mirVana™ miRNA Isolation Kit, with phenol to perform RNA isolation / purification Cells - primary human mononuclear cells

Get tips on using mirVana™ miRNA Isolation Kit, with phenol to perform RNA isolation / purification Cells - primary human airway epithelial cells

Get tips on using mirVana™ miRNA Isolation Kit, with phenol to perform RNA isolation / purification Cells - primary human aortic endothelial cells

Short hairpin or small hairpin RNA (shRNA) is artificial RNA, which has a hairpin loop structure, and uses inherent microRNA (miRNA) machinery to silence target gene expression. This is called RNA interference (RNAi). These can be delivered via plasmids or viral/bacterial vectors. Challenges in shRNA-mediated gene silencing include: 1. Off-target silencing, 2. Packaging shRNA encoding lentivirus, and 3. Stable transduction in cells. RNAi have been designed to have anywhere from 19-27 bs, but the most effective design has 19 bp. In case commercial shRNAs are not available, potential target sites can be chosen within exon, 5’- or 3’ UTR, depending on which splice variants of the gene are desired. One should use the latest algorithms and choose at least two different sequences, targeting different regions, in order to have confidence in overcoming off-target effects. A BLAST search after selecting potential design will eliminate potential off-target sequences. For the second challenge, sequencing the vector using primers for either strand (50-100 bp upstream) is suggested, along with using enzymatic digestion on agarose gel for the vector. Next, once the shRNA-containing vector is packaged in a virus, it is important to check the viral titer before transduction. Finally, using a marker in the lentiviral vector (fluorescent protein or antibiotic resistance), along with qPCR for target gene expression can help in determining efficacy of transduction and shRNA on its target site.