FAS Plasmids

FAS (Fas Cell Surface Death Receptor) plasmids are genetic tools designed to study the expression, regulation, and function of the FAS receptor, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family. FAS, also known as CD95 or APO-1, is a key regulator of apoptosis. Binding of its ligand, FASL (FAS Ligand), induces apoptosis through activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Dysregulation of FAS signaling is associated with autoimmune disorders, cancer, and immune system dysfunction.

Content of FAS Plasmids

• FAS Coding Sequence:
  • Encodes the full-length or mutant forms of the FAS receptor, including the extracellular, transmembrane, and intracellular death domains.
• Promoter:
  • Constitutive Promoters: (e.g., CMV, EF1α) for strong and ubiquitous expression.
  • Inducible Promoters: (e.g., tetracycline-inducible systems) for controlled expression.
  • Cell-Specific Promoters: (e.g., T-cell-specific promoters) for targeted studies.
• Tagging Sequences:
  • Fusion tags (e.g., FLAG, GFP, or His6) for protein detection, tracking, and purification.
• Selectable Markers:
  • Antibiotic resistance genes (e.g., ampicillin, kanamycin) for plasmid selection in bacterial or mammalian cells.
• Replication Origin (Ori):
  • Ensures plasmid replication in bacterial or eukaryotic systems (e.g., ColE1 or SV40).

Applications of FAS Plasmids

• Apoptosis Research:
  • FAS plasmids are used to study the activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway and its downstream signaling components.
• Signal Transduction Studies:
  • Enable the investigation of FAS receptor-mediated signaling pathways, including caspase activation and DISC (Death-Inducing Signaling Complex) formation.
• Cancer Research:
  • Used to explore the role of FAS in cancer, where loss of FAS function or resistance to FAS-mediated apoptosis contributes to tumor progression.
  • FAS plasmids also help study cancer therapies that target FAS signaling.
• Autoimmune Disease Models:
  • Dysregulation of FAS signaling is implicated in autoimmune diseases. FAS plasmids help model these conditions and explore potential interventions.

FAS plasmids are invaluable tools for studying the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis, immune regulation, and disease pathogenesis. They provide insights into the role of FAS signaling in health and disease and serve as platforms for developing novel therapeutics targeting FAS-mediated pathways.