Restriction-free cloning (RF-cloning) is a PCR-based technology that expands on the QuikChange™ mutagenesis process originally popularized by Stratagene in the mid-1990s, and allows the insertion of essentially any sequence into any plasmid at any location. While RF-cloning is a powerful tool for the design of custom plasmids when restriction sites are not conveniently situated, manually designing the requisite primers can be tedious and error prone. We present here a web-service that automates the primer design process, along with a user interface that includes a number of useful tools for managing both the input sequences and the resulting outputs. RF-Cloning is free and open to all users, and can be accessed at http://www.rf-cloning.org.
Pannexins are a class of chordate channel proteins identified by their homology to insect gap junction proteins. The pannexin family consists of three members, Panx1, Panx2, and Panx3, and the role each of these proteins plays in cellular processes is still under investigation. Previous reports of Panx3 expression indicate enrichment in skeletal tissues, so we have further investigated this distribution by surveying the developing mouse embryo with immunofluorescence. High levels of Panx3 were detected in intramembranous craniofacial flat bones, as well as long bones of the appendicular and axial skeleton. This distribution is the result of expression in both osteoblasts and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Furthermore, the Panx3 promoter contains putative binding sites for transcription factors involved in bone formation, and we show that the sequence between bases À275 and À283 is responsive to Runx2 activation. Taken together, our data suggests that Panx3 may serve an important role in bone development, and is a novel target for Runx2-dependent signaling. ß
The pannexins (Panxs) are a family of chordate proteins homologous to the invertebrate gap junction forming proteins named innexins. Three distinct Panx paralogs (Panx1, Panx2, and Panx3) are shared among the major vertebrate phyla, but they appear to have suppressed (or even lost) their ability to directly couple adjacent cells. Connecting the intracellular and extracellular compartments is now widely accepted as Panx's primary function, facilitating the passive movement of ions and small molecules along electrochemical gradients. The tissue distribution of the Panxs ranges from pervasive to very restricted, depending on the paralog, and are often cell type-specific and/or developmentally regulated within any given tissue. In recent years, Panxs have been implicated in an assortment of physiological and pathophysiological processes, particularly with respect to ATP signaling and inflammation, and they are now considered to be a major player in extracellular purinergic communication. The following is a comprehensive review of the Panx literature, exploring the historical events leading up to their discovery, outlining our current understanding of their biochemistry, and describing the importance of these proteins in health and disease.
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