Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

08:51
Applying an Inducible Expression System to Study Interference of Bacterial Virulence Factors with Intracellular Signaling
Published on: June 25, 2015
Inducible gene expression using an autoregulatory, tetracycline-controlled system.
Penny Shockett1, David Schatz2
1Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Current Protocols in Cell Biology
|January 30, 2008
Summary
This study details protocols for transfecting cells to express specific genes, enabling inducible transactivator and target gene protein expression for research applications.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Stable transfection of adherent cells is crucial for creating cell lines with inducible gene expression.
- The tetracycline-inducible system offers precise control over gene expression.
- Developing robust protocols for generating and validating these cell lines is essential for reproducible research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe detailed protocols for the stable transfection of adherent cells.
- To establish methods for generating cell lines with inducible transactivator and target gene expression.
- To provide procedures for testing and validating inducible gene expression in transfected cells.
Main Methods:
- Cotransfection of fibroblast cell lines with plasmids encoding a transactivator (pTet-tTAk) and selectable markers.
- Sequential stable cotransfection to introduce target genes under inducible control.
- Methods for testing stably transfected cell lines for inducible gene expression and gene detection.
Main Results:
- Establishment of stably transfected fibroblast cell lines exhibiting inducible transactivator expression.
- Successful generation of cell lines with inducible target gene expression.
- Validated protocols for testing inducible gene expression and detecting the transactivator gene.
Conclusions:
- The described protocols enable the creation of versatile cell lines for studying inducible gene expression.
- These methods facilitate the development of precise genetic tools for molecular and cell biology research.
- The protocols are applicable to various research settings, including cell-based assays and transgenic models.
Related Concept Videos
Inducible Operons: lac Operon
The lac operon in Escherichia coli is a model for understanding inducible gene regulation and metabolic flexibility. It integrates local control by lactose and global regulation through catabolite repression, enabling E. coli to preferentially metabolize glucose when available and switch to lactose utilization when glucose is scarce.Structure and Function of the lac OperonThe lac operon contains three structural genes: lacZ (β-galactosidase), lacY (lactose permease), and lacA (thiogalactoside...
Repressible Operon: trp Operon
The trp operon in Escherichia coli exemplifies a repressible operon. It regulates the synthesis of tryptophan through repressor-mediated transcriptional control and attenuation. This dual regulatory mechanism ensures tryptophan biosynthesis occurs only when needed, conserving cellular resources.Structure of the trp OperonThe trp operon consists of five structural genes (trpE, trpD, trpC, trpB, and trpA) that encode enzymes for tryptophan biosynthesis. These genes are transcribed as a single...
Prokaryotic Transcriptional Activators and Repressors
The organization of prokaryotic genes in their genome is notably different from that of eukaryotes. Prokaryotic genes are organized, such that the genes for proteins involved in the same biochemical process or function are located together in groups. This group of genes, along with their regulatory elements, are collectively known as an operon. The functional genes in an operon are transcribed together to give a single strand of mRNA known as polycistronic mRNA.
Transcription of prokaryotic...
Transcription of prokaryotic...
Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression
Gene expression in prokaryotes is governed by constitutive and regulated systems, allowing cells to balance the production of essential proteins with adaptive responses to environmental changes.Constitutive Gene ExpressionConstitutive, or housekeeping, genes are continuously expressed as they encode proteins vital for fundamental cellular processes. These include enzymes for glycolysis, ribosomal components for protein synthesis, and proteins involved in DNA replication. Their constant...
Global Regulatory Systems
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...

