BackgroundAlthough a variety of methods and expensive kits are available, molecular cloning can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.ResultsHere we report a highly simplified, reliable, and efficient PCR-based cloning technique to insert any DNA fragment into a plasmid vector or into a gene (cDNA) in a vector at any desired position. With this method, the vector and insert are PCR amplified separately, with only 18 cycles, using a high fidelity DNA polymerase. The amplified insert has the ends with ~16-base overlapping with the ends of the amplified vector. After DpnI digestion of the mixture of the amplified vector and insert to eliminate the DNA templates used in PCR reactions, the mixture is directly transformed into competent E. coli cells to obtain the desired clones. This technique has many advantages over other cloning methods. First, it does not need gel purification of the PCR product or linearized vector. Second, there is no need of any cloning kit or specialized enzyme for cloning. Furthermore, with reduced number of PCR cycles, it also decreases the chance of random mutations. In addition, this method is highly effective and reproducible. Finally, since this cloning method is also sequence independent, we demonstrated that it can be used for chimera construction, insertion, and multiple mutations spanning a stretch of DNA up to 120 bp.ConclusionOur FastCloning technique provides a very simple, effective, reliable, and versatile tool for molecular cloning, chimera construction, insertion of any DNA sequences of interest and also for multiple mutations in a short stretch of a cDNA.

Mood disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that represent leading global disease burdens. Increasing evidence from clinical and preclinical studies supports that innate immune system dysfunction plays an important part in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. P2X7 receptor, belonging to the ligand-gated ion channel P2X subfamily of purinergic P2 receptors for extracellular ATP, is highly expressed in immune cells including microglia in the central nervous system (CNS) and has a vital role in mediating innate immune response. The P2X7 receptor is also important in neuron-glia signalling in the CNS. The gene encoding human P2X7 receptor is located in a locus of susceptibility to mood disorders. In this review, we will discuss the recent progress in understanding the role of the P2X7 receptor in the pathogenesis and development of mood disorders and in discovering CNS-penetrable P2X7 antagonists for potential uses in in vivo imaging to monitor brain inflammation and antidepressant therapeutics.

Reticulocalbin 3 (Rcn3) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen protein localized to the secretory pathway. We have reported that Rcn3 plays a critical role in alveolar epithelial type II cell maturation during perinatal lung development, but its biological role in the adult lung is largely unknown. In this study, we found marked induction of Rcn3 expression in alveolar epithelium during bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, which is most obvious in alveolar epithelial type II cells (AECIIs). To further examine Rcn3 in pulmonary injury remodeling, we generated transgenic mice to selectively delete Rcn3 in AECIIs in adulthood. Although Rcn3 deletion did not cause obvious abnormalities in the lung architecture and mechanics, the exposure of Rcn3-deleted mice to bleomycin led to exacerbated pulmonary fibrosis and reduced lung mechanics. These Rcn3-deleted mice also displayed enhanced alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) apoptosis and ER stress after bleomycin treatment, which was confirmed by in vitro studies both in primary AECIIs and mouse lung epithelial cells. Consistently, Rcn3 deficiency also enhanced ER stress and apoptosis induced by ER stress inducers, tunicamycin and thapsigargin. In addition, Rcn3 deficiency caused blunted wound closure capability of AECs, but not altered proliferation and bleomycin-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. Collectively, these findings indicate that bleomycin-induced upregulation of Rcn3 in AECIIs appears to contribute to AECII survival and wound healing. These observations, for the first time, suggest a novel role of Rcn3 in regulating pulmonary injury remodeling, and shed additional light on the mechanism of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.