Artículo de revista
An artifact in studies of gene regulation using b-galactosidase reporter gene assays
Fecha
2012Registro en:
Analytical Biochemistry 421 (2012) 333–335
doi:10.1016/j.ab.2011.10.019
Autor
Lefimil, Claudia
Jedlicki Corbeaux, Eugenia
Holmes, David S.
Institución
Resumen
Reporter gene assays are important tools for evaluating gene expression. A frequently used assay measures
the activity of b-galactosidase (b-gal) expressed from lacZ in plasmid or genomic constructions.
Such constructions are often used to interrogate the ability of DNA (query DNA), potentially encoding
a transcription factor, to regulate in trans the expression of a promoter fused to the reporter lacZ. Query
DNA is frequently inserted into a second plasmid within the a-subunit of b-gal, interrupting its function.
However, this plasmid can induce up-expression of b-gal even when void of query DNA, leading to confusion
between artifact and authentic regulation.