pAd/BLOCK-iT™-DEST RNAi Gateway Vector - FAQs

可以使用BP Clonase酶和LR Clonase酶替代BP Clonase II 酶LR Clonase II酶进行BP/LR Clonase反应的一步法实验方案吗？

在BP/LR Clonase反应的一步法实验方案中，不建议用BP Clonase酶和LR Clonase酶替代BP Clonase II 酶/LR Clonase II酶，因为这样的重组效率非常低。

有推荐的一步式BP/LR重组实验方案吗？

有的，我们能提供针对BP/LR Clonase反应的一步式实验方案DNA可以在一步反应后被克隆到目的载体中，从而节省了您的时间和金钱。

如果丢失了入门克隆，如何将目的基因从一个Gateway兼容的表达克隆转移到一个新的目的载体？

建议使用一个供体载体进行一次BP反应以获得一个入门克隆。然后将这一入门克隆和目的载体进行一次LR反应以获得新的表达克隆。

我可以单独购买5X LR Clonase缓冲液或5X BP Clonase缓冲液吗？

5X LR Clonase缓冲液或5X BP Clonase缓冲液不作为单独产品出售。它们作为酶试剂盒的一部分进行销售。

是否提供用于在植物内表达的Gateway载体吗？

我们不提供任何用于在植物内表达的Gateway载体。

你们推荐使用何种大肠杆菌感受态来扩增Gateway兼容的哺乳动物目的载体？

我们推荐使用One Shot ccdB Survival 2 T1^R 感受态细胞，货号A10460。该菌株能够耐受ccdB基因的毒性效应。

注意： 请勿使用常规的大肠杆菌克隆株 - 包括TOP10或DH5α - 来进行扩增和培养，因为这些菌株均对ccdB的效应很敏感。

哺乳动物表达中保守的Kozak序列是做什么用的？在将目的基因克隆至你们所提供的哺乳动物表达载体时，我是否需要包含一个Kozak序列？

保守的Kozak序列为A/G NNATGG，其中的ATG表示起始密码子。ATG周围的核苷酸点突变会影响翻译效率。尽管我们通常情况下都推荐加入一段Kozak保守序列，不过这一操作的必要性还是基于具体的目的基因，一般只需ATG就足以高效地启始翻译过程。最佳的建议是保持cDNA中天然起始位点，除非确定这一位点的功能性不理想。如果从表达的角度来考虑，推荐构建并测试两种载体，一个具有天然的起始位点，另一个具有保守的Kozak序列。通常情况下，所有具有N-融合表达的表达载体都已经包含了一个翻译起始位点。

我需要在克隆目的基因时在其中包含一个核糖体结合位点（RBS）或Kozak序列吗？

ATG通常对于高效的翻译启始是足够的，尽管翻译效率要视目的基因而定。最佳的建议应是保持cDNA中天然起始位点，除非确定这一位点的功能性不理想。如果从表达的角度来考虑，推荐构建并测试两种载体，一个具有天然的起始位点，另一个具有保守的Kozak序列。通常情况下，所有N-端融合型表达载体都已包含了一个RBS或翻译起始位点。

使用BP克隆可以将多大的PCR片段和pDONR载体重组？对于TOPO-接头的入门载体也是一样吗？

理论上，pDONR载体在BP反应时对插入片段没有大小的限制。我们自己测试过的最大片段是12 kb。TOPO载体对插入片段大小更敏感一些，要获得较高的克隆效率其插入片段长度的上限是3-5 kb。

如何纯化attB-PCR产物？

在得到attB-PCR产物之后，我们建议对产物进行纯化以去除PCR缓冲液，残留的dNTP，attB引物，以及attB引物二聚体。引物和引物二聚体在BP反应中会高效的与供体载体重组，因而会增加转化E. coli时的背景，而残留的PCR缓冲液可能会抑制BP反应。使用酚/氯仿抽提，加醋酸铵和乙醇或异丙醇沉淀的标准PCR产物纯化方案不适合对attB-PCR产物进行纯化，因为这些实验方案通常仅能去除小于100 bp的杂质，而在去除较大的引物二聚体时效果不佳。我们推荐一种PEG纯化方案（请参见使用Clonase II的Gateway技术手册第17页）。如果使用上述实验方案您的attB-PCR产物仍然不够纯，您可以进一步对其进行凝胶纯化。我们推荐使用Purelink Quick 凝胶纯化试剂盒。

我试图扩增自己的Gateway目的载体，但是没有得到任何克隆。我应该怎么办？

请检查您所用的菌株的基因型。我们的Gateway目的载体通常含有一个ccdB基因元件，该元件如果不被破坏，则E. Coli生长将受到抑制。因此，未进行克隆的载体应该在ccdB survival菌株如我们的ccdB Survival 2 T1R感受态细胞中扩增。

Shine-Dalgarno和Kozak序列有何区别？

原核生物mRNA含有Shine-Dalgarno序列，也称为核糖体结合位点(RBS)，它是由AUG起始密码子5’端的多嘌呤序列AGGAGG组成。该序列与16S rRNA 3’端的互补，有助于mRNA有效结合到核糖体上。同理，真核生物（特别是哺乳动物）mRNA也含有完成有效翻译所需的重要序列信息。然而，Kozak序列不是真正的核糖体结合位点，而是一种翻译起始增强子。Kozak共有序列是ACCAUGG，其中AUG是起始密码子。-3位的嘌呤(A/G)具有重要作用；若-3位是一个嘧啶(C/T)，翻译过程会对-1、-2和+4位的改变更敏感。当-3位从嘌呤变为嘧啶时，可使表达水平降低多达95%。+4位对表达水平的影响相对较小，可以使表达水平降低约50%。

注：果蝇的最佳Kozak序列稍有不同，酵母完全不遵循这些规则。见下列参考文献：
•Foreign Gene Expression in Yeast: a Review. Yeast, vol. 8, p. 423-488 (1992).
•Caveneer, Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 15, no. 4, p. 1353-1361 (1987).

Gateway克隆和表达需满足的先决条件是什么？

目的基因必须两端带有合适的att位点，或者是入门克隆中的attL (100 bp)位点，或者是PCR产物中的 attB (25 bp)位点。对于入门克隆而言，所有位于attL位点之间的部分都将被转移到含有attR位点的Gateway目的载体中，而两端带有attB位点的PCR产物需被转移到一个含有attP位点的供体载体，例如pDONR221。

翻译起始位点的位置，终止子，或者用于表达的融合标签必须在最开始的克隆设计中考虑到。例如，如果您的目的载体包含一个N末端标记而非C末端标记，则该载体应当已经带有合适的翻译起始位点，但是终止子应当被包含在插入片段当中。

用于Gateway克隆反应的DNA的纯度有要求吗？

小抽（碱裂解）纯化的DNA即适用在Gateway克隆反应中。重要的一点是要将RNA污染去除干净以便得到精确的定量。推荐使用通过我们的S.N.A.P. 核酸纯化试剂盒，ChargeSwitch试剂盒，或PureLink试剂盒纯化的质粒DNA。

Gateway克隆插入片段的长度有什么限制吗？

理论上没有片段大小限制。长度在100 bp到11 kb之间的PCR产物可以被直接克隆到pDONR Gateway载体中。其它DNA片段如带有att位点的150 kb DNA片段可以成功和一个Gateway兼容载体发生重组。对于大的插入片段，推荐进行过夜孵育反应。

我在使用含EmGFP的表达克隆时，未得到荧光信号。我该怎么办？

请使用推荐的滤波装置对所用荧光进行检测。使用倒置荧光显微镜进行分析。如有需要，可使蛋白表达持续1-3天，再进行荧光检测。

我得到了非特异性、脱靶的基因敲低。我该怎么办？

所用目标序列可能与其他基因具有较高的同源性；请选择一个不同的目标区域。

我在滴定后未得到任何细胞克隆。你们有何建议？

做一个杀死曲线，确定细胞株对抗生素的敏感性。应确保将病毒储液正确保存于-80°C，并且冻融次数不超过3次。最后，使用Polybrene试剂，将重组慢病毒转导至细胞。

我得到了很少的菌落或无菌落，甚至包括转化对照组。可能原因是什么？

应确保所用的感受态细胞被正确保存于-80°C，在冰上融化并立即使用。加入DNA时，轻轻混合感受态细胞：不要使用移液管反复吹打混合。同时，转化所用DNA不要超过最大推荐用量（100 ng），或者DNA加入体积不要超过感受态细胞体积的10%，否则会抑制转化。

我发现当使用BLOCK-iT H1重组质粒或pLenti4/BLOCK-iT-DEST重组体时，在无四环素诱导的情况下，我的目标shRNA有一些本地表达。可能原因是什么？

请确保您使用的含胎牛血清（FBS）的培养基已减少了四环素含量。许多FBS都含有四环素，因为FBS往往是从饮食中含四环素的牛体内分离出来的，这导致出现低水平的shRNA本底表达。应确保使用可表达Tet阻遏蛋白的细胞系，并以合适的MOI进行转导。如果您自行建立了可表达Tet阻遏蛋白的细胞系，则应在使用shRNA重组体转导细胞前至少等待24小时。

我发现基因敲低的水平较低或无基因敲低。你们有何建议？

有多种因素可导致敲低效果较差。请参见以下建议：

•低转染效率：应确保转染所用培养基不含抗生素，并且细胞的汇合度合适；通过改变转染试剂用量而优化转染条件。
•做一个时间梯度检测，确定达到最高基因敲低水平的时间点。
•重组子中存在突变：对转化子中双链寡核苷酸插入片段进行测序验证。
•目标区域不是最佳的：选择一个不同的目标区域。
•应根据相应使用手册中的指南，设计siRNA。

我发现在使用shRNA/miRNA重组体转染后出现细胞毒性作用。为什么？

你可尝试减少转染试剂的用量，或使用其他转染试剂。此外，应确保使用的质粒是纯净的，并为转染实验准备的。

我难以对shRNA重组子中的双链寡核苷酸插入序列进行测序。原因是什么？你们建议如何改善测序结果？

难以测序可能是因为发夹序列是一种反向重复序列，在测序期间可形成二级结构，从而导致在测序进行到发夹区域时出现信号跌落。如果您遇到测序困难的情况，请尝试以下建议：

•使用高质量的纯化质粒DNA进行测序。我们建议使用Invitrogen PureLink HQ小量质粒纯化试剂盒（货号K2100-01）或S.N.A.P.质粒DNA中量提取试剂盒（货号K1910-01）来制备DNA。
•在测序反应中加入DMSO至终浓度为5%。
•增加反应中的模板用量（高达正常浓度的2倍）。
•标准测序试剂盒通常使用dITP代替dGTP，以减少G:Ccompression。其他含dGTP的试剂盒可用于对富含G和富含GT的模板进行测序。如果您在使用含有dITP的标准商业化测序试剂盒，再买一个含dGTP的测序试剂盒（如，dGTPBigDye Terminator v3.0 Ready Reaction Cycle Sequencing试剂盒，货号4390229），并在测序反应中使用摩尔比为7:1的dITP:dGTP。

我在构建入门克隆时，发现插入片段存在突变。我该怎么办？

我们强烈建议对阳性转化子进行测序，确认双链寡核苷酸插入片段的序列。在筛选转化子时，我们发现多达20%的克隆可能包含突变的插入片段（通常在双链寡核苷酸中有1或2 bp缺失）。其原因尚不清楚，但可能是由于双链寡核苷酸插入片段中的反向重复序列触发了E. coli的修复机制引起的。注意：双链寡核苷酸插入片段有突变的入门克隆，在哺乳细胞中RNAi效果通常较差。应确认入门克隆具有正确的双链寡核苷酸序列，并将这种克隆用于您的RNAi分析。

使用劣质的单链寡核苷酸也会导致出现突变的插入片段。为避免出现这类问题，可使用质谱分析法来检验质量错误的峰，或订购HPLC或PAGE纯化的寡核苷酸。

我在尝试对寡核苷酸进行退火，从而得到可连接到shRNA或miRNA RNAi载体的双链寡核苷酸。当我将退火后的双链寡核苷酸进行琼脂糖凝胶电泳时，没有看到任何双链寡核苷酸的条带。为什么？

•应确认下游寡核苷酸链的序列与上游寡核苷酸链的序列是互补的。
•使用shRNA载体时，应将互补序列的单链寡核苷酸混合。上游寡核苷酸链的5’末端应含有CACC，而下游寡核苷酸链的5’末端应含有AAAA。
•使用miRNA载体时，应确保上游寡核苷酸链的5’末端含有TGCT，而下游寡核苷酸链的5’末端含有CCTG

我在尝试对寡核苷酸进行退火，从而得到可连接到shRNA或miRNA RNAi载体的双链寡核苷酸。当我将退火后的双链寡核苷酸进行琼脂糖凝胶电泳时，得到的条带很微弱。为什么？

请查看以下可能原因：

•单链寡核苷酸的设计错误；应确认下游链寡核苷酸的序列与上游链寡核苷酸的序列是互补的。
•在寡核苷酸加热至95°C后，确保在室温下退火5-10分钟。
•应检查退火所用的上游链和下游链寡核苷酸的摩尔比，用量应相同。

将U6 RNAi表达盒转移到pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST载体后，是否需要对重组载体进行测序？

不需要，因为转移保留了表达盒的方向。但是，如果您想对DEST重组载体进行测序，我们推荐下列引物：

pAd正向引发位点：5′-GACTTTGACCGTTTACGTGGAGAC-3′
pAd反向引发位点：5′-CCTTAAGCCACGCCCACACATTTC-3′

pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST载体如何扩增和维持？

我们建议使用One Shot ccdB Survival T1R化学感受态细胞（货号C751003）进行转化。该菌株可耐受ccdB的作用，可支持含ccdB基因的质粒扩增。为了维持载体的完整性，可使用含50-100 µg/mL氨苄青霉素和15-30 µg/mL氯霉素的培养基对转化子进行选择。

BLOCK-iT腺病毒RNAi表达系统具有哪些安全特性？

BLOCK-iT腺病毒RNAi表达系统具有以下生物安全特性：

pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST表达载体中的全部E1区域已被删除。其他病毒基因（如，晚期基因）的表达需要E1蛋白的表达，因此，病毒复制仅出现于表达E1的细胞中（Graham et al，1977；Kozarsky& Wilson，1993；Krougliak & Graham，1995）。该区域正是Gateway Destination表达盒所在的位置。E3区域也已被删除。
•在所有不表达E1a和E1b蛋白的哺乳细胞中，pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST表达载体生产的腺病毒均不能复制（Graham et al，1977；Kozarsky& Wilson，1993；Krougliak & Graham，1995）。 •转导并不能将腺病毒整合到宿主基因组中。因为病毒是不能复制的，病毒基因组是瞬时存在的并最终会随细胞分裂而被稀释掉。

尽管前文讨论了许多安全特性内容，但是该系统生产的腺病毒仍具有一些生物危害风险，因为它能够转导至原代人细胞。因此，我们强烈建议您将该系统生成的腺病毒储液作为生物安全2级（BL-2）生物体进行处理，严格遵守所有已发布的BL-2指南。此外，当制备的腺病毒shRNA是靶向参与控制细胞分裂（如，肿瘤抑制基因）的人类基因时或大规模生产制备病毒时（见 使用手册第11页），应格外小心。

关于BL-2指南和腺病毒处理的更多信息，请参考由疾病控制和预防中心（CDC）发布的第四版《微生物和生物医学实验室的生物安全性》（http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl4/bmbl4toc.htm）。

Can I perform the single-step protocol for the BP/LR Clonase reaction using BP Clonase enzyme and LR Clonase enzyme instead of BP Clonase II enzyme and LR Clonase II enzyme?

In the single-step protocol for the BP/LR Clonase reaction, we would not recommend substituting the BP Clonase II/LR Clonase II enzymes with BP Clonase /LR Clonase enzymes as this would result in very low recombination efficiency.

Do you have a recommended single-step protocol for BP/LR recombination?

Yes, we have come up with a single-step protocol for BP/LR Clonase reaction (http://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cloning/gateway-cloning.html#1), where DNA fragments can be cloned into Destination vectors in a single step reaction, allowing you to save time and money.

How can I move my gene of interest from a Gateway-adapted expression clone to a new Destination vector as I have lost the entry clone?

We would recommend performing a BP reaction with a Donor vector in order to obtain an entry clone. This entry clone can then be used in an LR reaction with the Destination vector to obtain the new expression clone.

Can I purchase the 5X LR Clonase buffer or 5X BP Clonase buffer separately?

We do not offer the 5X LR Clonase buffer and 5X BP Clonase buffer as standalone products. They are available as part of the enzyme kits.

Do you offer Gateway vectors for expression in plants?

We do not offer any Gateway vectors for expression in plants.

Which competent E. coli do you recommend using for propagation of my Gateway-adapted mammalian Destination vector?

We recommend using One Shot ccdB Survival 2 T1R Competent Cells, Cat. No. A10460. This strain is resistant to the toxic effects of the ccdB gene. Note: Do not use general E. coli cloning strains, including TOP10 or DH5alpha, for propagation and maintenance, as these strains are sensitive to ccdB effects.

Do I need to include a consensus Kozak sequence when I clone my gene of interest into one of your mammalian expression vectors?

The consensus Kozak sequence is A/G NNATGG, where the ATG indicates the initiation codon. Point mutations in the nucleotides surrounding the ATG have been shown to modulate translation efficiency. Although we make a general recommendation to include a Kozak consensus sequence, the necessity depends on the gene of interest and often, the ATG alone may be sufficient for efficient translation initiation. The best advice is to keep the native start site found in the cDNA unless one knows that it is not functionally ideal. If concerned about expression, it is advisable to test two constructs, one with the native start site and the other with a consensus Kozak. In general, all expression vectors that have an N-terminal fusion will already have an initiation site for translation.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

Do I need to include a ribosomal binding site (RBS/Shine Dalgarno sequence) or Kozak sequence when I clone my gene of interest?

ATG is often sufficient for efficient translation initiation although it depends upon the gene of interest. The best advice is to keep the native start site found in the cDNA unless one knows that it is not functionally ideal. If concerned about expression, it is advisable to test two constructs, one with the native start site and the other with a Shine Dalgarno sequence/RBS or consensus Kozak sequence (ACCAUGG), as the case may be. In general, all expression vectors that have an N-terminal fusion will already have a RBS or initiation site for translation.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

How large of a PCR product can I recombine with a pDONR vector via BP cloning? Does the same apply for TOPO-adapted Entry vectors?

There is no theoretical limit to insert size for a BP reaction with a pDONR vector. Maximum size tested in-house is 12 kb. TOPO vectors are more sensitive to insert size and 3-5 kb is the upper limit for decent cloning efficiency.

How should I clean up my attB-PCR product?

After generating your attB-PCR product, we recommend purifying it to remove PCR buffer, unincorporated dNTPs, attB primers, and any attB primer-dimers. Primers and primer-dimers can recombine efficiently with the Donor vector in the BP reaction and may increase background after transformation into E. coli, whereas leftover PCR buffer may inhibit the BP reaction. Standard PCR product purification protocols using phenol/chloroform extraction followed by ammonium acetate and ethanol or isopropanol precipitation are not recommended for purification of the attB-PCR product as these protocols generally have exclusion limits of less than 100 bp and do not efficiently remove large primer-dimer products. We recommend a PEG purification protocol (see page 17 of the Gateway Technology with Clonase II manual). If you use the above protocol and your attB-PCR product is still not suitably purified, you may further gel-purify the product. We recommend using the PureLink Quick Gel Extraction kit.

I'm trying to propagate my Gateway destination vector and am not seeing any colonies. What should I do?

Check the genotype of the cell strain you are using. Our Gateway destination vectors typically contain a ccdB cassette, which, if uninterrupted, will inhibit E. coli growth. Therefore, un-cloned vectors should be propagated in a ccdB survival cell strain, such as our ccdB Survival 2 T1R competent cells.

What is the difference between LR Clonase II and LR Clonase II Plus?

LR Clonase II Plus contains an optimized formulation of recombination enzymes for use in MultiSite Gateway LR reactions. LR Clonase and LR Clonase II enzyme mixes are not recommended for MultiSite Gateway LR recombination reactions, but LR Clonase II Plus is compatible with both multi-site and single-site LR recombination reactions.

Are the BLOCK-iT miR RNAi Expression Kits compatible with adenoviral expression systems?

Yes. The miR miRNA vectors are Gateway cloning compatible, and you could use Gateway cloning to transfer the miR miRNA expression cassette to any of our Gateway-adapted viral expression vectors.

What is the purpose of the Proteinase K step following a Gateway LR Recombination reaction, and is it critical to the results?

When the LR reaction is complete, the reaction is stopped with Proteinase K and transformed into E. coli resulting in an expression clone containing a gene of interest. A typical LR reaction followed by Proteinase K treatment yields about 35,000 to 150,000 colonies per 20ul reaction. Without the Proteinase K treatment, up to a 10 fold reduction in the number of colonies can be observed. Despite this reduction, there are often still enough colonies containing the gene of interest to proceed with your experiment, so the Proteinase K step can be left out after the LR reaction is complete if necessary.

Does the ViraPower Adenoviral Expression System use an adeno-associated virus?

No. The ViraPower system uses adenovirus type 5. Adenoviruses (Adenoviridae) and adeno-associated viruses (Parvoviridae) are completely different. Adeno-associated viruses are often associated with adenovirus infections, hence the name. Since they are thought to be virtually non-pathogenic, they are attractive vectors for gene therapy. The disadvantage is that they can package only about half the foreign DNA that adenoviruses can.

How does the adenoviral system work? How do I make an adenovirus expressing my gene of interest?

Clone your gene of interest into the pAd/CMV/V5-DEST (or pAd-PL-DEST if you want to use your own promoter). Prior to cloning, if desired, propagate this vector in One Shot ccdB Survival 2 T1R Competent Cells (Cat. No. A10460) as described below. After cloning your gene of interest, propagate in E. coli strain TOP10. pAd/CMV/V5-GW/lacZ is provided as a positive control vector for expression.

Digest recombinant plasmid with Pac I to expose the ITRs (inverted terminal repeats).

Transfect (we recommend Lipofectamine 2000 reagent) E1-containing cells (293A cells) with linear DNA (only 10% of transfected cells will make virus).

Infected cells will ball up, and release virus to surrounding cells, which in turn will be killed and ball up. Look for plaques in the monolayer created by areas cleared by detaching, balled up cells (it takes 8-10 days to see visible plaques from this initial transfection).

Collect a crude viral lysate.

Amplify the adenovirus by infecting 293A producer cells with the crude viral lysate. Harvest virus after 2-3 days when cells ball up. Determine the titer of the adenoviral stock by performing a plaque assay. The virus generated is adenovirus type 5 (subclass C).

Add the viral supernatant to your mammalian cell line of interest to transduce cells.

Assay for recombinant protein of interest.

Once you have your gene of interest in the adenoviral vector, you can simply re-amplify when you need more of the virus. You do not need to repeat cloning steps and transfections each time.

When cloning or propagating DNA with unstable inserts (such as lentiviral DNA containing direct repeats), we recommend using the following modifications to reduce the chance of recombination between direct repeats:
- Select and culture transformants at 25-30 degrees C.
- Do not use "rich" bacterial media as they tend to give rise to a greater number of unwanted recombinants.
-If your plasmid confers chloramphenicol resistance, select and culture transformants using LB medium containing 15-30 µg/mL chloramphenicol in addition to the antibiotic appropriate for selection of your plasmid.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

How do I concentrate the lentiviral stock?

Ultracentrifugation is the most commonly used approach and is typically very successful (see Burns et al. (1993) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:8033-8037; Reiser (2000) Gene Ther 7:910-913). Others have used PEG precipitation. Some purification methods are covered by patents issued to the University of California and Chiron.

Adenovirus is concentrated using CsCl density gradient centrifugation (there is a reference for this procedure in our adenovirus manual) or commercially available columns.

Will I get the same transduction efficiency with both lentivirus and adenovirus in the same cell line?

This depends entirely on the target cell. Adenovirus requires the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) and an integrin for efficient transduction. Lentivirus (with VSV-G) binds to a lipid in the plasma membrane (present on all cell types). With two totally different mechanisms of entry into the cell, there will always be differences in transduction efficiencies. However, the efficiency of transduction for both viral systems is easily modulated by the multiplicity of infection (MOI) used.

Do you recommend a specific FBS for culture of the 293FT or 293A cells used in the ViraPower kits? What plastic plates do you recommend?

We use mycoplasma-tested Gibco FBS (Cat. No. 16000-044) without any modifications. We have observed that when 293FT cells are cultured in the presence of this FBS following the instructions in the manual, virus production is better than that obtained with many other serum sources.

We use the following plasticware for 293A and 293FT cells:

T175--Fisher Cat. No. 10-126-13; this is a Falcon flask with 0.2 µm vented plug seal cap.

T75--Fisher Cat. No. 07-200-68; this is a Costar flask with 0.2 µm vented seal cap.

100 mm plate--Fisher Cat. No. 08-772E; this is a Falcon tissue culture-treated polystyrene plate

We get excellent adherence on these plates under routine cell culture/maintenance conditions (expect cell lysis in 293A cells when making adenovirus).

How should I store lentivirus, adenovirus and viral vectors?

Viral vectors:
Store lentiviral and adenoviral expression vectors (plasmid DNA) at -20 degrees C. Due to their relatively large sizes, we do not recommend storing these vectors at -80 degrees C, as the vector solutions will completely freeze and too many freeze thaws from -80 degrees C will affect the cloning efficiency. At -20 degrees C, the vectors will be stable but will not freeze completely. Glycerol stocks of vectors transformed into bacteria should always be stored at -80 degrees C.

Virus:
Both adenovirus and lentivirus particles should be aliquoted immediately after production and stored at -80 degrees C.

Lentivirus is more sensitive to storage temperature and to freeze/thaw than adenovirus and should be handled with care. Adenovirus can typically be frozen/thawed up to 3 times without loss of titer, while lentivirus can lose up to 5% or more activity with each freeze/thaw. It is recommended to aliquot your virus into small working volumes immediately after production, freeze at -80 degrees C, and then thaw just one aliquot for titering. This way, every time you thaw a new aliquot it should be the same titer as your first tube.

Adenovirus particles can be kept overnight at 4 degrees C if necessary, but it is best to avoid this. Viruses will be most stable at -80 degrees C.

When stored properly, viral stocks should maintain consistent titer and be suitable for use for up to one year. After long-term storage, we recommend re-titering your viral stocks before use.

What are the safety issues associated with the use of your viral systems?

Both the lentiviral and adenoviral systems should be used following Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2). We recommend strict adherence to all CDC guidelines for BSL-2 (as well as institutional guidelines). Thermo Fisher Scientific has also engineered specific safety features into the lentiviral system.

Consult the "Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories" publication (www.cdc.gov, published by the CDC in the USA, describes BSL-2 handling) and the "Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines" publication (www.phac-aspc.gc.ca, published by the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response in Canada) for more information on safe handling of various organisms and the physical requirements for facilities that work with them.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

How do I know whether to choose lentivirus or adenovirus for viral expression?

If you're interested in stable integration and selection, choose the lentiviral system. We offer both a Directional TOPO (D-TOPO) and Gateway version of the kit to provide flexibility in the cloning of the gene of interest.

If you're looking for transient gene expression, choose the adenoviral system. We offer the Gateway cloning method for this product. It should be noted, however, that gene expression from both systems is typically detected within 24-48 hours of transduction, so both systems can be used for experiments of a transient nature. The main difference is that lentivirus integrates into the host genome and adenovirus does not. Higher viral titers are achieved with the adenovirus.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

What are the packaging limits for lentivirus and adenovirus? Can a 9 kb fragment be packaged into either?

No, neither lentivirus nor adenovirus can take an insert as large as 9 Kb. Lentiviral packaging limits are around 6 kb and adenoviral packaging limits are around 7-7.5 kb. Above that, no virus is made.

For lentivirus, titers will generally decrease as the size of the insert increases. We have effectively packaged inserts of 5.2 kb with good titer (approx. 0.5 x 10^5 cfu/mL). The size of the wild-type HIV-1 genome is approximately 10 kb. Since the size of the elements required for expression from pLenti vectors add up to approximately 4-4.4 kb, the size of your gene of interest should theoretically not exceed 5.6-6 kb for efficient packaging (see below for packaging limits for individual vectors).
pLenti4/V5-DEST vector: 6 kb
pLenti6/V5-DEST vector: 6 kb
pLenti6/V5/D-TOPO vector: 6 kb
pLenti6/UbC/V5-DEST vector: 5.6 kb

For adenovirus, the maximum packagable size is approximately 7-7.5 Kb (see below for packaging limits for individual vectors).
pAd/CMV/V5-DEST vector: 6 kb
pAd/PL-DEST vector: 7.5 kb

Can I go directly from a pENTR/D-TOPO reaction into an LR Clonase Reaction without first purifying the DNA?

In most cases, there will not be enough pENTR vector DNA present to go directly from TOPO cloning into an LR reaction. You need between 100-300 ng of pENTR vector for an efficient LR reaction, and miniprep of a colony from the TOPO transformation is necessary to obtain that much DNA. However, if you want to try it, here are some recommendations for attempting to go straight into LR reactions from the TOPO reaction using pENTR/D, or SD TOPO, or pCR8/GW/TOPO vectors:

1. Heat inactivate the topoisomerase after the TOPO cloning reaction by incubating the reaction at 85 degrees C for 15 minutes.
2. Use the entire reaction (6 µL) in the LR clonase reaction. No purification steps are necessary.
3. Divide the completed LR reaction into 4 tubes and carry out transformations with each tube. You cannot transform entire 20 µL reaction in one transformation, and we have not tried ethanol precipitation and then a single transformation.

When attempting this protocol, we observed very low efficiencies (~10 colonies/plate). So just be aware that while technically possible, going directly into an LR reaction from a TOPO reaction is very inefficient and will result in a very low colony number, if any at all.

Can N-terminal or C-terminal tags be attached to a Gateway Entry clone?

To have an N-terminal tag, the gene of interest must be in the correct reading frame when using non-TOPO adapted Gateway entry vectors. All TOPO adapted Gateway Entry vectors will automatically put the insert into the correct reading frame, and to add the N-terminal tag you simply recombine with a destination vector that has N-terminal tag.

To attach a C-terminal tag to your gene of interest, the insert must lack its stop codon, and be in the correct reading frame for compatibility with our C-terminal tagged destination vectors. Again, TOPO adapted Gateway Entry vectors will automatically put the insert into the correct reading frame. If you do not want the C-terminal tag to be expressed, simply include a stop codon at the end of the insert that is in frame with the initial ATG.

Generally, you need to choose a destination vector before you design and clone your insert into the Entry vector. This will determine whether you need to include an initiating ATG or stop codon with your insert.

Can you tell me the difference between a Shine-Dalgarno sequence and a Kozak sequence?

Prokaryotic mRNAs contain a Shine-Dalgarno sequence, also known as a ribosome binding site (RBS), which is composed of the polypurine sequence AGGAGG located just 5’ of the AUG initiation codon. This sequence allows the message to bind efficiently to the ribosome due to its complementarity with the 3’-end of the 16S rRNA. Similarly, eukaryotic (and specifically mammalian) mRNA also contains sequence information important for efficient translation. However, this sequence, termed a Kozak sequence, is not a true ribosome binding site, but rather a translation initiation enhancer. The Kozak consensus sequence is ACCAUGG, where AUG is the initiation codon. A purine (A/G) in position -3 has a dominant effect; with a pyrimidine (C/T) in position -3, translation becomes more sensitive to changes in positions -1, -2, and +4. Expression levels can be reduced up to 95% when the -3 position is changed from a purine to pyrimidine. The +4 position has less influence on expression levels where approximately 50% reduction is seen. See the following references:

- Kozak, M. (1986) Point mutations define a sequence flanking the AUG initiator codon that modulates translation by eukaryotic ribosomes. Cell 44, 283-292.
- Kozak, M. (1987) At least six nucleotides preceding the AUG initiator codon enhance translation in mammalian cells. J. Mol. Biol. 196, 947-950.
- Kozak, M. (1987) An analysis of 5´-noncoding sequences from 699 vertebrate messenger RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 8125-8148.
- Kozak, M. (1989) The scanning model for translation: An update. J. Cell Biol. 108, 229-241.
- Kozak, M. (1990) Evaluation of the fidelity of initiation of translation in reticulocyte lysates from commercial sources. Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 2828.

Note: The optimal Kozak sequence for Drosophila differs slightly, and yeast do not follow this rule at all. See the following references:

- Romanos, M.A., Scorer, C.A., Clare, J.J. (1992) Foreign gene expression in yeast: a review. Yeast 8, 423-488.
- Cavaneer, D.R. (1987) Comparison of the consensus sequence flanking translational start sites in Drosophila and vertebrates. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 1353-1361.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

Can an attB-PCR product be cloned directly into an expression (Gateway Destination) vector?

No, not directly. The attB-PCR product must first be cloned, via a BP Clonase reaction, into a pDONR vector which creates an "Entry Clone" with attL sites. This clone can then be recombined, via an LR Clonase reaction, with a Destination vector containing attR sites. However, It is possible to perform both of these reactions in one step using the "One-Tube Protocol" described in the manual entitled "Gateway Technology with Clonase II".

Can Gateway technology be used to express two proteins from the same vector?

Yes, this can be done using the Multisite Gateway Technology. MultiSite Gateway Pro Technology enables you to efficiently and conveniently assemble multiple DNA fragments - including genes of interest, promoters, and IRES sequences - in the desired order and orientation into a Gateway Expression vector. Using specifically designed att sites for recombinational cloning, you can clone two, three, or four DNA fragments into any Gateway Destination vector containing attR1 and attR2 sites. The resulting expression clone is ready for downstream expression and analysis applications.

What is the efficiency of recombination in the Gateway system?

For the BP reaction, approximately 5-10% of the starting material is converted into product. For the LR reaction, approximately 30% of the starting material is converted into product.

Are there common restriction sites that can be used to excise a gene out of a Gateway plasmid?

The core region of the att sites contains the recognition sequence for the restriction enzyme BsrGI. Provided there are no BsrGI sites in the insert, this enzyme can be used to excise the full gene from most Gateway plasmids. The BsrGI recognition site is 5'-TGTACA and is found in both att sites flanking the insertion site.

If a different restriction site is desired, the appropriate sequence should be incorporated into your insert by PCR.

Do I have to synthesize new attB primers (29 base attB primer + my specific sequence primer) each time I want to make an attB PCR product, or do you have truncated attB primers that work together with adapter attB primers to get a complete attB sequence?

We do have an alternative method called the "attB Adapter PCR" Protocol in which you make your gene specific primer with only 12 additional attB bases and use attB universal adapter primers. This protocol allows for shorter primers to amplify attB-PCR products by utilizing four primers instead of the usual two in a PCR reaction. You can find the sequence of these primers in the protocol on page 45 of the "Gateway Technology with Clonase II" manual.

There is a protocol in which all 4 primers mentioned above are in a single PCR reaction. You can find this protocol at in the following article: Quest vol. 1, Issue 2, 2004. https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/references/newsletters-and-journals/quest-archive.reg.in.html. The best ratio of the first gene-specific and the second attB primers was 1:10.

Do you have recommended sequencing primers for pDONR201?

We do not offer pre-made primers, but we can recommend the following sequences that can be ordered as custom primers for sequencing of pDONR201:
Forward primer, proximal to attL1: 5'- TCGCGTTAACGCTAGCATGGATCTC
Reverse primer, proximal to attL2: 5'-GTAACATCAGAGATTTTGAGACAC

Can you please list some references for Gateway Cloning Technology?

1. Yeast two-hybrid protein-protein interaction studies Walhout AJ, Sordella R, Lu X, Hartley JL, Temple GF, Brasch MA, Thierry-Mieg N, Vidal M.

2. Protein Interaction Mapping in C. elegans Using Proteins Involved in Vulval Development. Science Jan 7th 2000; 287(5450), 116-122 Davy, A. et al.

3. A protein-protein interaction map of the Caenorhabditis elegans 26S proteosome. EMBO Reports (2001) 2 (9), p. 821-828. Walhout, A.J.M. and Vidal, M. (2001).

4. High-throughput Yeast Two-Hybrid Assays for Large-Scale Protein Interaction mapping. Methods: A Companion to Methods in Enzymology 24(3), pp.297-306

5. Large Scale Analysis of Protein Complexes Gavin, AC et al. Functional Organization of the Yeast Proteome by Systematic Analysis of Protein Complexes. Nature Jan 10th 2002, 415, p. 141-147.

6. Systematic subcellular localisation of proteins Simpson, J.C., Wellenreuther, R., Poustka, A., Pepperkok, R. and Wiemann, S.

7. Systematic subcellular localization of novel proteins identified by large-scale cDNA sequencing. EMBO Reports (2000) 1(3), pp. 287-292.

8. Protein-over expression and crystallography Evdokimov, A.G., Anderson, D.E., Routzahn, K.M. & Waugh, D.S.

9. Overproduction, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of YopM, an essential virulence factor extruded by the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis. Acta Crystallography (2000) D56, 1676-1679.

10. Evdokimov, et al. Structure of the N-terminal domain of Yersinia pestis YopH at 2.0 A resolution. Acta Crystallographica D57, 793-799 (2001).

11. Lao, G. et al. Overexpression of Trehalose Synthase and Accumulation of Intracellular Trehalose in 293H and 293FTetR:Hyg Cells. Cryobiology 43(2):106-113 (2001).

12. High-throughput cloning and expression Albertha J. M. Walhout, Gary F. Temple, Michael A. Brasch, James L. Hartley, Monique A. Lorson, Sander Van Den Huevel, and Marc Vidal.

13. Gateway Recombinational Cloning: Application to the Cloning of Large Numbers of Open Reading Frames or ORFeomes. Methods in Enzymology, Vol. 328, 575-592.

14. Wiemann, S. et.al., Toward a Catalog of Human Genes and Proteins: Sequencing and Analysis of 500 Novel Complete Protein Coding Human cDNAs, Genome Research (March 2001) Vol. 11, Issue 3, pp.422-435

15. Reviewed in NATURE: Free Access to cDNA provides impetus to gene function work. 15 march 2001, p. 289. Generating directional cDNA libraries using recombination

16. Osamu Ohara and Gary F. Temple. Directional cDNA library construction assisted by the in vitro recombination reaction. Nucleic Acids Research 2001, Vol. 29, no. 4. RNA interference (RNAi)

17. Varsha Wesley, S. et al. Construct design for efficient, effective and highthroughput gene silencing in plants. The Plant Journal 27(6), 581-590 (2001). Generation of retroviral constructs

18. Loftus S K et al. Generation of RCAS vectors useful for functional genomic analyses. DNA Res 31;8(5):221 (2001).

19. James L. Hartley, Gary F. Temple and Michael A. Brasch. DNA Cloning Using In Vitro Site-Specific Recombination. Genome Research (2000) 10(11), pp. 1788-1795.

20. Reboul et al. Open-reading frame sequence tags (OSTs) support the existence of at least 17,300 genes in C. elegans. Nature Genetics 27(3):332-226 (2001).

21. Kneidinger, B. et al. Identification of two GDP-6-deoxy-D-lyxo-4-hexulose reductase synthesizing GDP-D-rhamnose in Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus L420-91T*. JBC 276(8) (2001).

What do attL1 and attL2 sites look like after recombination between attB and attP sites?

The attP1 sequence (pDONR) is:
AATAATGATT TTATTTTGAC TGATAGTGAC CTGTTCGTTG CAACAAATTG ATGAGCAATGCTTTTTTAT AATGCCAACT TTGTACAAAA AAGC[TGAACG AGAAACGTAA AATGATATAA ATATCAATAT ATTAAATTAG ATTTTGCATA AAAAACAGACTA CATAATACTG TAAAACACAA CATATCCAGT CACTATGAAT CAACTACTTA GATGGTATTA GTGACCTGTA]

The region within brackets is where the site is "cut" and replaced by the attB1-fragment sequence to make an attL1 site. The sequence GTACAAA is the overlap sequence present in all att1 sites and is always "cut" right before the first G.

The overlap sequence in attP2 sites is CTTGTAC and cut before C. This is attP2:
ACAGGTCACT AATACCATCT AAGTAGTTGA TTCATAGTGA CTGGATATGT TGTGTTTTAC AGTATTATGT AGTCTGTTTT TTATGCAAAA TCTAATTTAA TATATTGATA TTTATATCAT TTTACGTTTC TCGTTCAGCT TTCTTGTACA AAGTTGGCAT TATAAGAAAG CATTGCTTAT AATTTGTTG CAACGAACAG GTCACTATCA GTCAAAATAA AATCATTATT

So, attL1 (Entry Clone) should be:
A ATAATGATTT TATTTTGACT GATAGTGACC TGTTCGTTGC AACAAATTGA TGAGCAATGC TTTTTTATAA TGCCAACT TT G TAC AAA AAA GC[A GGC T]NN NNN

attL2 (Entry Clone) should be:
NNN N[AC C]CA GCT TT CTTGTACA AAGTTGGCAT TATAAGAAAG CATTGCTTAT CAATTTGTTG CAACGAACAG GTCACTATCA GTCAAAATAA AATCATTATT

The sequence in brackets comes from attB, and N is your gene-specific sequence.

Note: When creating an Entry Clone through the BP reaction and a PCR product, the vector backbone is not the same as Gateway Entry vectors. The backbone in the case of PCR BP cloning is pDONR201.

How large can PCR fragments be and still be cloned into a Gateway Entry vector?

There is no size restriction on the PCR fragments if they are cloned into a pDONR vector. The upper limit for efficient cloning into a TOPO adapted Gateway Entry vector is approximately 5 kb. A Gateway recombination reaction can occur between DNA fragments that are as large as 150 kb.

What is the influence of the attB sequence on protein function, solubility, folding, and expression?

Destination vectors that contain N-terminal fusion partners will express proteins that contain amino acids contributed from the attB1 site, which is 25 bases long. This means that in addition to any tag (6x His and/or antibody epitope tag), the N-terminus of an expressed protein will contain an additional 9 amino acids from the attB1 sequence - the typical amino acid sequence is Thr-Ser-Leu-Tyr-Lys-Lys-Ala-Gly-nnn, where nnn will depend on the codon sequence of the insert.

Effects on protein function: A researcher (Simpson et al. EMBO Reports 11(31):287-292, 2000) demonstrated that GFP fusions (N- terminal and C-terminal) localized to the proper intracellular compartment. The expression constructs were generated using Gateway cloning, so the recombinant protein contained the attB1 or attB2 amino acid sequence. The localization function of the cloned recombinant proteins was preserved.

Effects on expression: We have seen no effect of the attB sites on expression levels in E. coli, insect and mammalian cells. The gus gene was cloned into bacterial expression vectors (for native and N-terminal fusion protein expression) using standard cloning techniques and expressed in bacteria. Gus was also cloned into Gateway Destination vectors (for native and N-terminal fusion expression) and expressed. When protein expression is compared, there was no difference in the amount of protein produced. This demonstrates that for this particular case, the attB sites do not interfere with transcription or translation.

Effects on solubility: A researcher at the NCI has shown that Maltose Binding Protein fusions constructed with Gateway Cloning were soluble. The fusion proteins expressed had the attB amino acid sequence between the Maltose Binding Protein and the cloned protein. It is possible that some proteins containing the attB sequence could remain insoluble when expressed in E.coli.

Effects on folding: Two Hybrids screens show the same interacters identified with and without the attB sequence. Presumably correct protein folding would be required for protein-protein interactions to take place. It is possible that some proteins containing the attB sequence may not fold correctly.

Must PCR conditions be changed once the original PCR primers have attB sequence added to them?

Since the attB sequences are on the 5' end of oligos, they will not anneal to the target template in the first round of PCR. Sometimes the PCR product is more specific with the attB primers, probably due to the longer annealing sequence (all of attB plus gene specific sequence) after the first round of amplification. Generally there is no need to change PCR reaction conditions when primers have the additional attB sequence

Can PCR primers be tailed directly with attL sites for direct recombination into the destination vector?

No, this is not really feasible due to the fact that the attL sequence is approximately 100 bp, which is too long for efficient oligo synthesis. Our own maximum sequence length for ordering custom primers is 100 nucleotides. In contrast, the attB sequences are only 25 bp long, which is a very reasonable length for adding onto the 5' end of gene-specific PCR primers.

Where can I get Gateway vector sequences and maps?

Vector information can be found in the product manuals or directly on our web site by entering the catalog number of the product in the search box. The vector map, cloning site diagram, and sequence information will be linked to the product page.

From where does Gateway get its lambda nomenclature, and is it consistent with textbook nomenclature for lambda recombination?

The Gateway nomenclature is consistent with lambda nomenclature, but we use numbers to differentiate between modified versions of the att sites (attB1, attB2, attP1, attP2, and so on). We have introduced mutations in the att sites to provide specificity and directionality to the recombination reaction. For example, attB1 will only recombine with attP1 and not with attP2.

What is the first step in an experiment with the Gateway system?

The first step is to create an Entry clone for your gene of interest. We have 3 options to do this: The first is by BP recombination reaction using the PCR Cloning System with Gateway Technology. This is recommended for cloning large (>5 kb) PCR products. We also have Gateway compatible TOPO Cloning vectors such as pCR8/GW/TOPO and pENTR/D-TOPO. The final option is to use restriction enzymes to clone into a pENTR Dual Selection vector.

What are the prerequisites for Gateway cloning and expression?

The gene of interest must be flanked by the appropriate att sites, either attL (100 bp) in an Entry clone or attB (25 bp) in a PCR product. For Entry clones, everything between the attL sites will be shuttled into the Gateway destination vector containing attR sites, and a PCR product flanked by attB sites must be shuttled into an attP-containing donor vector such as pDONR221.

The location of translation initiation sites, stop codons, or fusion tags for expression must be considered in your initial cloning design. For example, if your destination vector contains an N-terminal tag but does not have a C-terminal tag, the vector should already contain the appropriate translation start site but the stop codon should be included in your insert.

Will increasing the Gateway cloning reaction time improve recombination efficiency?

Yes, increasing the incubation time from 1 hour to 4 hours will generally increase colony numbers 2-3 fold. An overnight incubation at room temperature will typically increase colony yield by 5-10 fold.

How many times can I thaw BP Clonase II and LR Clonase II?

BP Clonase II and LR Clonase II can be freeze/thawed at least 10 times without significant loss of activity. However, you may still want to aliquot the enzymes to keep freeze/thaw variability to a minimum.

These enzymes are more stable than the original BP and LR Clonase and can be stored at -20 degrees C for 6 months.

How clean must my DNA be to use in a Gateway cloning reaction?

Mini-prep (alkaline lysis) DNA preparations work well in Gateway cloning reactions. It is important that the procedure remove contaminating RNA for accurate quantification. Plasmid DNA purified with our S.N.A.P. nucleic acid purification kits, ChargeSwitch kits, or PureLink kits are recommended.

How would you incorporate a leader sequence for secretion into an entry vector?

A simple way to express a protein with a leader sequence is to have the leader sequence encoded in the destination vector. The other option is to have the leader sequence subcloned into the entry vector using restriction enzymes, or incorporate the leader sequence into the forward PCR primer when cloning a PCR product into the entry vector. Please see Esposito et al. (2005), Prot. Exp. & Purif. 40, 424-428 for an example of how a partial leader sequence for secretion was incorporated into an entry vector.

Where is the ATG relative to the 5' attB site in a Gateway expression clone?

This depends on whether you are expressing a fusion or a native protein in the Gateway destination vector. For an N-terminal fusion protein the ATG will be given by the destination vector and it will be upstream of the attB1 site. For a C-terminal fusion protein or a native protein, the ATG should be provided by your gene of interest, and it will be downstream of the attB1 site.

Are the Gateway attB1 and attB2 sites the same as the attB site used for recombination into E. coli by bacteriophage lambda?

The Gateway attB sites are derived from the bacteriophage lambda site-specific recombination, but are modified to remove stop codons and reduce secondary structure. The core regions have also been modified for specificity (i.e., attB1 will recombine with attP1 but not with attP2).

Will Gateway att sites affect the expression of my protein?

Expression experiments have shown that the extra amino acids contributed by the attB site to a fusion protein will most likely have no effect on protein expression levels or stability. In addition, they do not appear to have any effect on two-hybrid interactions in yeast. However, as is true with the addition of any extra sequences that result from tags, the possible effects will be protein-dependent.

Can the attB primers anneal in a non-specific manner?

No, attB primers are highly specific under standard PCR conditions. We have amplified from RNA (RT-PCR), cDNA libraries, genomic DNA, and plasmid templates without any specificity problems.

What is the smallest fragment that can be used in a Gateway reaction?

The smallest size we have recombined is a 70 bp piece of DNA located between the att sites. Very small pieces are difficult to clone since they negatively influence the topology of the recombination reaction.

Are there any limitations on the insert length in Gateway cloning?

There is no theoretical size limitation. PCR products between 100 bp and 11 Kb have been readily cloned into a pDONR Gateway vector. Other DNA pieces as large as 150 kb with att sites will successfully recombine with a Gateway-compatible vector. Overnight incubation is recommended for large inserts.

What primer purity should be used for adding attB sites to my PCR product?

Standard desalted purity is generally sufficient for creating attB primers. We examined HPLC-purified oligos for Gateway cloning (about 50 bp long) and found only about a 2-fold increase in colony number over standard desalted primers. If too few colonies are obtained, you may try to increase the amount of PCR product used and/or incubate the BP reaction overnight.

What is the consensus Kozak sequence and what is the function of the Kozak sequence?

Eukaryotic (and specifically mammalian) mRNA contains sequence information that is important for efficient translation. However, this sequence, termed a Kozak sequence, is not a true ribosome binding site, but rather a translation initiation enhancer. The Kozak consensus sequence is ACCAUGG, where AUG is the initiation codon. A purine (A/G) in position -3 has a dominant effect; with a pyrimidine (C/T) in position -3, translation becomes more sensitive to changes in positions -1, -2, and +4. Expression levels can be reduced up to 95% when the -3 position is changed from a purine to pyrimidine. The +4 position has less influence on expression levels where approximately 50% reduction is seen. See the following references:

Kozak, M. (1986) Point mutations define a sequence flanking the AUG initiator codon that modulates translation by eukaryotic ribosomes. Cell 44, 283-292.
Kozak, M. (1987) At least six nucleotides preceding the AUG initiator codon enhance translation in mammalian cells. J. Mol. Biol. 196, 947-950.
Kozak, M. (1987) An analysis of 5´-noncoding sequences from 699 vertebrate messenger RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 8125-8148.
Kozak, M. (1989) The scanning model for translation: An update. J. Cell Biol. 108, 229-241.
Kozak, M. (1990) Evaluation of the fidelity of initiation of translation in reticulocyte lysates from commercial sources. Nucleic Acids Res. 18, 2828.

Note: The optimal Kozak sequence for Drosophila differs slightly, and yeast do not follow this rule at all. See the following references:

Romanos, M.A., Scorer, C.A., Clare, J.J. (1992) Foreign gene expression in yeast: a review. Yeast 8, 423-488.
Cavaneer, D.R. (1987) Comparison of the consensus sequence flanking translational start sites in Drosophila and vertebrates. Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 1353-1361.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our Protein Expression Support Center.

I'm getting no fluorescence signal with my expression clone containing EmGFP. What should I do?

Please ensure that the recommended filter sets for detection of fluorescence are used. Use an inverted fluorescence microscope for analysis. If desired, allow the protein expression to continue for 1-3 days before assaying for fluorescence.

I'm seeing nonspecific, off-target gene knockdown. What should I do?

The target sequence used may contain strong homology to other genes; please select a different target region.

I am not getting any colonies after titering. What would suggest I try?

Perform a kill curve to determine the antibiotic sensitivity of your cell line. Ensure that viral stocks are stored properly at -80 degrees C, and do not undergo freeze/thaw more than 3 times. Lastly, transducer the lentiviral contruct into cells in the presence of Polybrene reagent.

I'm getting few or no colonies, even with the transformation control. What could be the cause of this?

Ensure that the competent cells used were stored properly at -80 degrees C, and thawed on ice for immediate use. When adding DNA, mix competent cells gently: do not mix by pipetting up and down. Also do not exceed the maximum recommended amount of DNA for transformation (100 ng) or allow the volume of DNA added to exceed 10% of the volume of the competent cells, as these may inhibit the transformation.

I'm seeing some basal expression of my shRNA of interest in the absence of tetracycline induction when using the BLOCK-iT H1 construct or pLenti4/BLOCK-iT-DEST construct. What could be causing this?

Please check to ensure that your medium containing fetal bovine serum (FBS) is reduced in tetracycline. Many lots of FBS contain tetracycline, as FBS is often isolated from cows that have been fed a diet containing tetracycline, leading to low basal expression of shRNA. Ensure that a cell line expressing the Tet repressor is being used, and that the cells used are transduced at a suitable MOI. If creating your own Tet repressor-expressing cell line, wait at least 24 hours before transducing cells with your shRNA construct.

I'm seeing a low level of gene knockdown or no gene knockdown. What can you suggest I try?

Low expression levels can be due to several factors. Please see the suggestions below:

- Low transfection efficiency: ensure that antibiotics are not added to the media during transfection, and that cells are at the proper cell confluency; optimize transfection conditions by varying the amount of transfection reagent used.
- Try a time course assay to determine the point at which the highest degree of gene knockdown occurs.
- Mutations are present in your construct: analyze the transformants by sequencing the ds oligo insert to verify its sequence.
- Target region is not optimal: select a different target region.
- Ensure siRNA is designed according to guidelines listed in the respective manual.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our RNAi Support Center.

I'm seeing cytotoxic effects after transfection of my shRNA/miRNA construct. What is causing this?

You can try to scale back the amount of transfection reagent used, or use a different reagent for the transfection. Additionally, ensure that the plasmid used is pure and properly prepared for transfection.

Find additional tips, troubleshooting help, and resources within our RNAi Support Center.

I'm having difficulty sequencing the ds oligo insert in my shRNA construct. What is causing this, and do you have any suggestions on how to improve my sequencing results?

Difficulties sequencing could occur because the hairpin sequence is an inverted repeat that can form secondary structure during sequencing, resulting in a drop in the sequencing signal when entering the hairpin. If you encounter difficulties while sequencing, please try the following:

- Use high-quality, purified plasmid DNA for sequencing. We recommend preparing DNA using the Invitrogen PureLink HQ Mini Plasmid Purification Kit (Cat. No. K2100-01) or S.N.A.P. Plasmid DNA MidiPrep Kit (Cat. No. K1910-01).
- Add DMSO to the sequencing reaction to a final concentration of 5%.
- Increase the amount of template used in the reaction (up to twice the normal concentration).
- Standard sequencing kits typically use dITP in place of dGTP to reduce G:C compression. Other kits containing dGTP are available for sequencing G-rich and GT-rich templates. If you are using a standard commercial sequencing kit containing dITP, obtain a sequencing kit containing dGTP (e.g., dGTP BigDye Terminator v3.0 Ready Reaction Cycle Sequencing Kit, Cat. No. 4390229) and use a 7:1 molar ratio of dITP:dGTP in your sequencing reaction.

I'm trying to create my entry clone but am seeing mutated inserts. What should I do?

We highly recommend sequencing positive transformants to confirm the sequence of the ds oligo insert. When screening transformants, we find that up to 20% of the clones may contain mutated inserts (generally 1 or 2 bp deletions within the ds oligo). The reason for this is not known, but may be due to triggering of repair mechanisms within E. coli as a result of the inverted repeat sequence within the ds oligo insert. Note: Entry clones containing mutated ds oligo inserts generally elicit a poor RNAi response in mammalian cells. Identify entry clones with the correct ds oligo sequence and use these clones for your RNAi analysis.
Mutated inserts could also be caused by using poor-quality single-stranded oligos. Use mass spectrometry to check for peaks of the wrong mass, or order HPLC- or PAGE-purified oligos to avoid this problem.

I'm trying to anneal my oligos to create a ds oligo for ligation into one of your shRNA or miRNA RNAi vectors. When I run my ligated ds oligo on an agarose gel, I do not see any bands representing the ds oligo. What could be happening?

- Verify that the sequence of the bottom-strand oligo is complementary to the sequence of the top-strand oligo.
- For the shRNA vectors, make sure that you mix single-stranded oligos with complementary sequences. The top-strand oligo should include CACC on the 5' end, while the bottom-strand oligo should include AAAA on the 5' end.
- For the miRNA vectors, make sure that the top-strand oligo includes TGCT at the 5' end and that the bottom-strand oligo includes CCTG at the 5' end.

I'm trying to anneal my oligos to create a ds oligo for ligation into one of your shRNA or miRNA RNAi vectors. When I run my ligated ds oligo on an agarose gel, the bands are weak. What could be happening?

Please review the possibilities below:

- Single-stranded oligos designed incorrectly; verify that the sequence of the bottom-strand oligo is complementary to the sequence of the top strand oligo.
- Ensure that oligos are annealed at room temp for 5-10 minutes after heating to 95 degrees C.
- Check the molar ratio you are using for annealing top and bottom-strand oligo; equal amounts should be used.

Do I need to sequence my expression construct after transferring the U6 RNAi cassette into the pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST vector?

This is not necessary, as the transfer preserves the orientation of the cassette. However, if you wish to sequence your DEST expression construct, we recommend the following primers:

Primer Sequence:
pAd forward priming site: 5'-GACTTTGACCGTTTACGTGGAGAC-3'
pAd reverse priming site: 5'-CCTTAAGCCACGCCCACACATTTC-3'

How do I propagate and maintain the pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST vector?

We recommend using One Shot ccdB Survival T1R chemically competent cells (Cat. No. C751003) for transformation. This strain is resistant to ccdB effects and can support the propagation of plasmids containing the ccdB gene. To maintain integrity for the vector, select for transformants in media containing 50-100 µg/mL ampicillin and 15-30 µg/mL chloramphenicol.

What are the safety features built into the BLOCK-iT Adenoviral RNAi Expression System?

The BLOCK-iT Adenoviral RNAi Expression System includes the following features designed to enhance its biosafety:

- The entire E1 region is deleted in the pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST expression vector. Expression of the E1 proteins is required for the expression of the other viral genes (e.g., late genes), and thus viral replication only occurs in cells that express E1 (Graham et al., 1977; Kozarsky and Wilson, 1993; Krougliak and Graham, 1995). This is where the Gateway Destination cassette is now located. The E3 region has also been deleted.
- Adenovirus produced from the pAd/BLOCK-iT-DEST expression vector is replication-incompetent in any mammalian cells that do not express the E1a and E1b proteins (Graham et al., 1977; Kozarsky and Wilson, 1993; Krougliak and Graham, 1995).
- Adenovirus does not integrate into the host genome upon transduction. Because the virus is replication-incompetent, the presence of the viral genome is transient and will eventually be diluted out as cell division occurs.
- Despite the presence of the safety features discussed above, the adenovirus produced with this System can still pose some biohazardous risk since it can transduce primary human cells. For this reason, we highly recommend that you treat adenoviral stocks generated using this System as Biosafety Level 2 (BL-2) organisms and strictly follow all published guidelines for BL-2. Furthermore, exercise extra caution when creating adenovirus that express shRNA targeting human genes involved in controlling cell division (e.g., tumor suppressor genes) or when producing large-scale preparations of virus (See manual, pg. 11).
- For more information about the BL-2 guidelines and adenovirus handling, refer to the document, “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories”, 4th Edition, published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl4/bmbl4toc.htm)