Photoacoustic molecular imaging, combined with the reporter-gene technique, can provide a valuable tool for cancer research. The expression of the lacZ reporter gene can be imaged using photoacoustic imaging following the injection of X-gal, a colorimetric assay for the lacZ-encoded enzyme β-galactosidase. Dual-wavelength photoacoustic microscopy was used to non-invasively image the detailed mo...

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by brain deposition of toxic amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta), generated from the Abeta precursor protein (APP). APP gene expression is regulated via the proximal promoter region (PPR; -46/-1 in the human sequence; +1 transcription start) and the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR; +1/+147). We have recently identified a unique CAGA sequence, "amyloid" (+83/+86) pre...

Reporter gene assays are important tools for evaluating gene expression. A frequently used assay measures the activity of β-galactosidase (β-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 repor...

A genomic clone encoding ascorbate oxidase was isolated from pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.). This gene is consisted of four exons and three introns. Analyses of the promoter fusion to beta-glucuronidase reporter gene by transient expression assay in pumpkin fruit tissues suggested the existence of a cis-acting region responsible for auxin regulation.

In this study, we developed an in-line methodology that combines analytical with pharmacological techniques to characterize metabolites of human histamine H(4) receptor (hH(4)R) ligands. Liquid chromatographic separation of metabolic mixtures is coupled to high-resolution fractionation into 96- or 384-well plates and directly followed by a cell-based reporter gene assay to measure receptor sign...