Cell Signaling Technology

Product Pathways - Cell Cycle / Checkpoint

SignalSilence® Chk1 siRNA I #6241

Applications Reactivity
Transfection H Mk

Reactivity Key:  H=Human  Mk=Monkey
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 non-targeted (-) or targeted (+) siRNA. Chk1 was detected using the Chk1 Antibody #2345, and p42 was detected using the p42 MAPK Antibody #9108. The Chk1 Antibody confirms silencing of Chk1 expression, and the p42 MAPK Antibody was used to control for loading and specificity of Chk1 siRNA.

Fluorescent Detection

Fluorescent Detection

Fluorescent detection of SignalSilence® Control siRNA (Fluorescein Conjugate) #6201 in living HeLa cells 24 hours post-transfection, demonstrating nearly 100% transfection efficiency.

Description

SignalSilence® Chk1 siRNA from Cell Signaling Technology allows the researcher to specifically inhibit Chk1 expression using RNA interference, a method in which gene expression can be selectively silenced through the delivery of double stranded RNA molecules into the cell. All SignalSilence® siRNA products are rigorously tested in-house and have been shown to reduce protein expression in specified cell lines.

Directions for Use

CST recommends transfection with 50 nM Chk1 siRNA 48-72 hours prior to cell lysis.

Background

Chk1 kinase acts downstream of ATM/ATR kinase and plays an important role in DNA damage checkpoint control, embryonic development, and tumor suppression (1). Activation of Chk1 involves phosphorylation at Ser317 and Ser345 and occurs in response to blocked DNA replication and certain forms of genotoxic stress (2). While phosphorylation at Ser345 serves to localize Chk1 to the nucleus following checkpoint activation (3), phosphorylation at Ser317 along with site-specific phosphorylation of PTEN allows for re-entry into the cell cycle following stalled DNA replication (4). Chk1 exerts its checkpoint mechanism on the cell cycle, in part, by regulating the cdc25 family of phosphatases. Chk1 phosphorylation of cdc25A targets it for proteolysis and inhibits its activity through 14-3-3 binding (5). Activated Chk1 can inactivate cdc25C via phosphorylation at Ser216, blocking the activation of cdc2 and transition into mitosis (6). Centrosomal Chk1 has been shown to phosphorylate cdc25B and inhibit its activation of CDK1-cyclin B1, thereby abrogating mitotic spindle formation and chromatin condensation (7). Furthermore, Chk1 plays a role in spindle checkpoint function through regulation of aurora B and BubR1 (8). Research studies have implicated Chk1 as a drug target for cancer therapy as its inhibition leads to cell death in many cancer cell lines (9).

Small Interfering RNA (siRNA) has been used to specifically silence chk1 in various human cancer cell lines (5).

  1. Liu, Q. et al. (2000) Genes Dev 14, 1448-59.
  2. Zhao, H. and Piwnica-Worms, H. (2001) Mol Cell Biol 21, 4129-39.
  3. Jiang, K. et al. (2003) J Biol Chem 278, 25207-17.
  4. Martin, S.A. and Ouchi, T. (2008) Mol Cancer Ther 7, 2509-16.
  5. Chen, M.S. et al. (2003) Mol Cell Biol 23, 7488-97.
  6. Zeng, Y. et al. (1998) Nature 395, 507-10.
  7. Löffler, H. et al. (2006) Cell Cycle 5, 2543-7.
  8. Zachos, G. et al. (2007) Dev Cell 12, 247-60.
  9. Garber, K. (2005) J Natl Cancer Inst 97, 1026-8.
  10. Chen, Z. et al. (2003) Mol. Cancer Ther. 2(6) , 543-548.

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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