A fast yeast-transformation technique has been developed by adding thio compounds to alkali-ion based protocols and incubating at 45 degrees C. This procedure is especially recommended for cells from stationary phase at a density up to 2.5 x 10(8) cells/ml. It involves only one step for the preparation and transformation of competent cells within 30 min. The yield was more than 10(4) transformants/microgram plasmid DNA. This protocol is easy to scale up for many DNA samples and is also applicable for yeast cells from different types of storages.

Two major protocols for the preparation of bacterial genomic DNA have been commonly used (1, 2). These methods provided powerful means of preparing genomic DNA; however, both of them are rather complex and time-consuming. Presented here is a simple and rapid method for extraction of bacterial genomic DNA. This method is effective in producing digestible genomic DNA from a variety of gram-negative bacteria, including those of the genera Xanhomonas, Pseudomonase, Agrobacterium, and

Chemokines and their receptors play an important role in the recruitment, activation and differentiation of immune cells. The chemokine receptor, CXCR3, and its ligands, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 are key immune chemoattractants during interferon-induced inflammatory responses. Inflammation of the skin resulting from infections or autoimmune disease drives expression of CXCL9/10/11 and the subsequent recruitment of effector, CXCR3+ T cells from the circulation. The relative contributions of the different CXCR3 chemokines and the three variant isoforms of CXCR3 (CXCR3A, CXCR3B, CXCR3alt) to the inflammatory process in human skin requires further investigation. In skin cancers, the CXCR3 receptor can play a dual role whereby expression on tumor cells can lead to cancer metastasis to systemic sites while receptor expression on immune cells can frequently promote anti-tumor immune responses. This review will discuss the biology of CXCR3 and its associated ligands with particular emphasis on the skin during inflammation and carcinogenesis.