Human U6 promoter drives stronger shRNA activity than its schistosome orthologue in Schistosoma mansoni and human fibrosarcoma cells.

ABSTRACT: Blood flukes or schistosomes are the causative agents of human schistosomiasis, one of the major neglected tropical diseases. Draft genome sequences have been reported for schistosomes, but functional genomics tools are needed to investigate the role and essentiality of the newly reported genes. Vector based RNA interference can contribute to functional genomics analysis for schistosomes. Using mRNA encoding reporter firefly luciferase as a model target, we compared the performance of a schistosome and a human promoter from the U6 gene in driving shRNA in human fibrosarcoma cells and in cultured schistosomes. Further, both a retroviral [Murine leukemia virus (MLV)] and plasmid (piggyBac, pXL-Bac II) vector were utilized. The schistosome U6 gene promoter was 270 bp in length, the human U6 g

SUBMITTER: Duvoisin R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3271131 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature