Screening Method for CRISPR/Cas9 Inhibition of a Human DNA Virus: Herpes Simplex Virus
[Abstract] The efficiency of cleavage of individual CRISPR/Cas9-sgRNAs remains difficult to predict based on the CRISPR target sequence alone. Different intracellular environments (dependent on cell type or cell cycle state for example) may affect sgRNA efficiency by altering accessibility of genomic DNA through DNA modifications such as epigenetic marks and ...
Real-time Fluorescence Measurement of Enterovirus Uncoating
[Abstract] Viruses need to open, i.e., uncoat, in order to release their genomes for efficient replication and translation. Especially for non-enveloped viruses, such as enteroviruses, the cues leading to uncoating are less well known. The status of the virus has previously been observed mainly by transmission electron microscopy using negative ...
RNA Interactome Identification via RNA-BioID in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts
[Abstract] Cytoplasmic localization of mRNAs is common to all organisms and serves the spatial expression of genes. Cis-acting RNA signals (mostly found in the mRNA’s 3'-UTR), called zipcodes recruit trans-acting RNA-binding proteins that facilitate the localization of the mRNA. UV-cross-linking or affinity purification has been applied to identify such ...
Laser Capture Micro-dissection (LCM) of Neonatal Mouse Forebrain for RNA Isolation
[Abstract] Precise and reproducible isolation of desired cell types or layers from heterogeneous tissues is crucial to analyze specific gene profiles and molecular interactions in vivo. Forebrain is the core site of higher functions, like cognition and memory consolidation. It is composed of heterogeneous and distinct cell types, interconnected to ...
A Mismatch-tolerant RT-LAMP Method for Molecular Diagnosis of Highly Variable Viruses
[Abstract] Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been widely used in the detection of pathogens. However, there are usually numerous variants in one viral pathogen and primers employed in LAMP can hardly match all these variants. The mismatches between the primers and the viral genomes, especially those at the 3′-end of the primers, hinder LAMP ...
In vitro RNA Cleavage Assays to Characterize IRE1-dependent RNA Decay
[Abstract] The kinase/RNase IRE1 is a key effector of the cellular response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. The RNase activity of IRE1 can be measured in cells or in the test tube. Here we describe a protocol for the in vitro cleavage and analysis of RNA substrates of IRE1. The method consists of the in vitro transcription, purification ...