Cell Signaling Technology

Product Pathways - Apoptosis

SignalSilence® Beclin-1 siRNA I #6222

Applications Reactivity
Transfection H

Reactivity Key:  H=Human
Species cross-reactivity is determined by western blot. Species enclosed in parentheses are predicted to react based on 100% sequence homology.

Western Blotting

Western Blotting

Western blot analysis of extracts from HeLa cells, transfected with 100 nM SignalSilence® Control siRNA (Unconjugated) #6568 (-), SignalSilence® Beclin-1 siRNA I (+) or SignalSilence® Beclin-1 siRNA II #6246 (+), using Beclin-1 (D40C5) XP® Rabbit mAb #3495 (upper) or α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb #2125 (lower). The Beclin-1 (D40C5) XP® Rabbit mAb confirms silencing of Beclin-1 expression, while the α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb is used to control for loading and specificity of Beclin-1 siRNA.

Description

SignalSilence® Beclin-1 siRNA I from Cell Signaling Technology (CST) allows the researcher to specifically inhibit Beclin-1 expression using RNA interference, a method whereby gene expression can be selectively silenced through the delivery of double stranded RNA molecules into the cell. All SignalSilence® siRNA products from CST are rigorously tested in-house and have been shown to reduce target protein expression by western analysis.

Quality Control

Oligonucleotide synthesis is monitored base by base through trityl analysis to ensure appropriate coupling efficiency. The oligo is subsequently purified by affinity-solid phase extraction. The annealed RNA duplex is further analyzed by mass spectrometry to verify the exact composition of the duplex. Each lot is compared to the previous lot by mass spectrometry to ensure maximum lot-to-lot consistency.

Directions for Use

CST recommends transfection with 100 nM Beclin-1 siRNA I 48 to 72 hours prior to cell lysis. For transfection procedure, follow protocol provided by the transfection reagent manufacturer. Please feel free to contact CST with any questions on use.

Each vial contains the equivalent of 100 transfections, which corresponds to a final siRNA concentration of 100 nM per transfection in a 24-well plate with a total volume of 300 μl per well.

Background

Autophagy is a catabolic process for the autophagosomic-lysosomal degradation of proteins activated in response to nutrient deprivation and in neurodegenerative conditions (1). One of the proteins critical to this process is Beclin-1, the mammalian orthologue of the yeast autophagy protein Apg6/Vps30 (2). Beclin-1 can complement defects in yeast autophagy caused by loss of Apg6 and can also stimulate autophagy when overexpressed in mammalian cells (3). Mammalian Beclin-1 was originally isolated in a yeast two-hybrid screen for Bcl-2 interacting proteins and has been shown to interact with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, but not with Bax or Bak (4). While Beclin-1 is generally ubiquitously expressed, research studies have shown it is monoallelically deleted in 40-75% of sporadic human breast and ovarian cancers (5). Beclin-1 is localized within cytoplasmic structures including the mitochondria, although overexpression of Beclin-1 reveals some nuclear staining and CRM1-dependent nuclear export (6). Investigators have demonstrated that Beclin-1 -/- mice die early in embryogenesis and Beclin-1 -/+ mice have a high incidence of spontaneous tumors. Stem cells from the null mice demonstrate an altered autophagic response, although responses to apoptosis appeared normal (7). Researchers have also found that overexpression of Beclin-1 in virally infected neurons in vivo resulted in significant protection against Sindbis virus-induced disease and neuronal apoptosis (4).

  1. Reggiori, F. and Klionsky, D.J. (2002) Eukaryot Cell 1, 11-21.
  2. Kametaka, S. et al. (1998) J Biol Chem 273, 22284-91.
  3. Liang, X.H. et al. (1999) Nature 402, 672-6.
  4. Liang, X.H. et al. (1998) J Virol 72, 8586-96.
  5. Aita, V.M. et al. (1999) Genomics 59, 59-65.
  6. Liang, X.H. et al. (2001) Cancer Res 61, 3443-9.
  7. Yue, Z. et al. (2003) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100, 15077-82.

Application References

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Companion Products

Limited Use Label License, RNA interference: This product is licensed under European Patent 1144623 and foreign equivalents from Ribopharma AG, Kulmbach, Germany and is provided only for use in non-commercial research specifically excluding use (a) in drug discovery or drug development, including target identification or target validation, by or on behalf of a commercial entity, (b) for contract research or commercial screening services, (c) for the production or manufacture of siRNA-related products for sale, or (d) for the generation of commercial databases for sale to Third Parties. Information about licenses for these and other commercial uses is available from Ribopharma AG, Fritz-Hornschuch-Str. 9, D-95326 Kulmbach, Germany.

For Research Use Only. Not For Use In Diagnostic Procedures.

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