XBP1 Pathway

The XBP1 (X-box Binding Protein 1) is A transcription factor crucial for managing ER stress. It is a crucial component of the cellular response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, functioning within the broader framework of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). This pathway helps cells manage the accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins in the ER  [Ref1].

2. Lentivirus Detects XBP1 Pathway:

GenTarget developed a set of reporting lentivirus to monitor XBP1 (ER Stress) signaling pathway activity. Those reporting lentivirus has a luminescent report (Luciferase) or a fluorescent report (GFP), under a minimal CMV promoter (mCMV) that embedded with optimized tandem repeats of XBP1 binding sites as the transcriptional response element (TRE ), sequence motif (5′- TGACGTGGCCTTGGCCTCTTCTCC-CTGCAG-TCACGTGATGAAG   3′) [Ref 2].

When ER stress induced, the resulted XBP1s protein binds to the XBP1 binding site in the promoter in regions of this report lentivirus, leading to increased expression of the report, the Luciferase or GFP, depend upon the lentivirus used.

3. Structure of the Reporting Lentivirus:

The pathway specific reporting Lentivirus use either firefly-luciferase or GFP signal changes to detect the pathway’s activity.   Those reporting lentivirus also contains a constitutively expressed Puromycin antibiotic selection marker, or a GFP fluorescent selection marker, which makes it easier to select the stably transduced signal reporting cells, via Puromycin killing or GFP sorting respectively. See lentivector core scheme below.

The premade, ready-to-use reporter lentivirus provides a much easier tool to monitor the activity of the signaling pathways in virtually any mammalian cell type. It also allows to generate your own reporting cell line in your desired cell type for study or screening of pathway specific gene-knockdown, over-expression, or chemical / drug/protein treatment in the cell based assay.

Click the Product Manual (pdf) for all available products for this pathway reporter.