The AfCS is utilizing antisense technology to manipulate signaling protein expression in the RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cell line. This can be achieved by the transfection of gene-specific antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). The following procedure involves the transfection of ASOs into RAW 264.7 cells using FuGENE 6 transfection reagent. Subsequently, the isolated total RNA or protein from these transfected cells can be used to assess the level of mRNA or protein knockdown,
respectively. - [Read Antisense Oligonucleotide Transfection of RAW 264.7 Cells with FuGENE 6 in a 24-Well Dish]
The assay for ß-galactosidase relies on the ability of the enzyme to catalyze the hydrolysis of ONPG (o-nitrophenyl-ß-D- galactopyranoside) to free o-nitrophenol, which absorbs light at 420 nm. In this protocol, extracts of cells transfected with a ß-galactosidase reporter plasmid are incubated with ONPG. - [Read Assay for ß-galactosidase in Extracts of Mammalian Cells]
In this protocol, cells transfected with a luciferase reporter plasmid are lysed in a detergent-containing buffer. Luciferase in the extract catalyzes an oxidation reaction in which D-luciferin is converted to oxyluciferin, with production of light at 556 nm that can be quantified in a luminometer. - [Read Assay for Luciferase in Extracts of Mammalian Cells Protocol]
Most powerful and convincing method to determine if a specific protein is phosphorylated in a physiologically relevant manner is to assay phosphorylation in situ. The procedure described involves incubating cultured cells (e.g., primary neuronal cultures or transfected cells) or tissue preparations (e.g., hippocampal slices) with [32P]orthophosphate, which is then taken up by the cells or tissues and incorporated into the γ-phosphate position of ATP. - [Read Detection of Protein Phosphorylation in Tissues and Cells Protocol]
Protocol should be viewed as a starting point for systematic optimization of transfection mediated by lipofecting agents. Once a positive signal has been obtained from a transfected plasmid carrying a standard reporter gene, optimal conditions for transfection can be established by systematic variation of parameters such as the initial cell density, the amount and purity of DNA, the media and serum, and the time of exposure of the cells to the cationic-lipid-DNA complex. - [Read DNA Transfection Mediated by Lipofection Protocol]
The same GFP-tagged actin construct used in cell transfection experiments has been used to produce transgenic mice. Transgenic animals allow the imaging of brain tissue in the intact animal, as acutely cut slices or as organotypic slice cultures. They also serve as a source of cells for imaging neurons at high resolution in dispersed low-density cell culture. In contrast to cells transfected in culture, where the level of actin-GFP expression in neurons varies considerably, transgenic mice... - [Read Imaging Actin in Tissue Slices from Transgenic Mouse Brain Protocol]
In this protocol, extracts prepared from cells transfected with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter plasmid are incubated with radiolabeled chloramphenicol. The acetylated products generated by the action of CAT are separated from the unmodified drug by thin-layer chromatography and quantitated by scraping the spots from the thin-layer plates and counting them by scintillation spectroscopy. - [Read Measurement of CAT in Extracts of Mammalian Cells Using Thin-layer Chromatography]
This method works well to assess cell cycle distribution of whole cell populations. This method can also be used to assess the cell cycle distribution of GFP transfected cells however, the EtOH step is generally not sufficient to keep GFP in the cell. - [Read Preparing Cells for PI/FACS (cell cycle) Analysis Protocol]
Protocol Involves the transfection of siRNA into RAW 264. 7 cells using Lipofectamine 2000. Cells are transfected with siRNA twice (on subsequent days). Target gene knockdown is assessed from total RNA isolated 48 hr post-transfection or from protein isolated 72 hr post-transfection. - [Read siRNA Double Transfection of RAW 264.7 Cells with Lipofectamine Protocol]
Protocol Involves the transfection of siRNA into RAW 264. 7 cells using Lipofectamine 2000. Cells are transfected with siRNA twice (on subsequent days). Target gene knockdown is assessed from total RNA isolated 48 hr post-transfection or from protein isolated 72 hr post-transfection. - [Read siRNA Double Transfection of RAW 264.7 Cells with Lipofectamine Protocol II]
Describes how FACSort can be used to enrich for transfected mouse cells expressing high levels of the human thrombin receptor. The sorted fraction can then be cultured in vivo and reanalyzed 12 days later to show that it remains enriched for thrombin receptor-expressing cells. - [Read Sorting Transfected Cells Based on Gene Expression, Followed by Culture in Vivo]
Protocol describes a split luciferase complementation assay that can be used to repetitively and noninvasively study the interaction of proteins in small living animals. After the expression of the appropriate vectors has been checked in cell culture in vivo, studies can be performed either by implanting transiently transfected cells for short-term analysis (maximum of 7 days), or with tumor models grown from tumor cells stably expressing the complete reporter system. - [Read Split Luciferase Complementation Assay for Studying Interaction of Proteins X and Y in Living Mice]
Stably transfected cells, generated in the first two stages of the procedure, are induced for expression of the target gene. After harvesting and lysis, the lysates are analyzed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. - [Read Tetracycline as Regulator of Inducible Gene Expression III]
This stage of the procedure describes the transfection with target genes of cell lines already expressing inducible tTA. In this example, the target genes are transfected on a plasmid that carries puromycin resistance as a selectable marker. - [Read Tetracycline as Regulator of Inducible Gene Expression Protocol II]
The following procedure is for simultaneous transfection and plating of RAW 264.7 cells. This protocol results in approximately 50% to 70% cell viability, and of those viable cells, 20% to 40% are transfected when using pEYFP-N1
from Clontech. Include: Procedure for Splitting Cells before Transfection; Procedure for Preparing Lipofectamine 2000 and DNA; Preparation of RAW 264.7 Cells for Transfection. - [Read Transfecting and Plating RAW 264.7 Cells with Lipofectamine 2000 Protocol]
This protocol describes two transfection methods for expressing GFP-tagged actin in primary neurons. The lipid reagent DOTAP (Roche Diagnostics) method produces actin-GFP-expressing hippocampal neurons that survive well during long periods in culture. The calcium phosphate method can be used to transfect neurons that have already been growing on coverslips in vitro. Transfected cells suitable for imaging can be obtained in cultures up to 15 days in vitro. - [Read Transfecting Cultured Hippocampal Neurons with an Actin-GFP Plasmid]
This protocol a protocol on how to generate transfected embryonic stem (ES) cell clones. The previous protocol in this series is the Protocol for Electroporation of ES cells. The next protocol in the series is the Protocol on Disaggregation, Expansion, and Freezing of Transfected ES Clones.
This protocol describes the electroporation of the BMH 81-17 mut S strain that is recommended for tranformation of the site directed mutagenesis of dsDNA (See Protocol on Site-Directed Mutagenesis on Double Stranded DNA). BMH 81-17 mut S are a mismatch repair defective (mut S) Escherichia coli strain. The probability that the two mutations will cosegregate during the first round of DNA replication is increased in this strain.
The protocol gives general considerations for the design of targeting vectors for transgenic mice. The protocol shares tips in the design of knock-out and knock-in vectors and some of their strategies for producing homologously recombined embryonic stem cells.