CD38 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (r): sc-437321

Overview

CD38 is a multifunctional ectoenzyme and receptor that regulates cellular NAD⁺ metabolism through ADP-ribosyl cyclase and NADase activities, generating signaling metabolites such as cyclic ADP-ribose and ADP-ribose. These products modulate intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization, mitochondrial function, and bioenergetic homeostasis, linking CD38 to immune cell activation, inflammatory signaling, and metabolic adaptation. In rat systems, CD38-dependent pathways are frequently examined in leukocyte function, neuroimmune communication, and tissue remodeling where NAD⁺ availability and Ca²⁺ signaling are rate-limiting. Altered CD38 activity has been associated with dysregulated immune responses and metabolic stress phenotypes, making it a relevant target for mechanistic studies in disease-relevant models without implying clinical outcomes.

CD38 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (r) is a pool of plasmids designed for targeted disruption of the gene in rat cell lines. Each plasmid in the pool co-expresses a unique sgRNA, targeting a distinct site within the locus, alongside the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 nuclease, and encodes GFP to enable fluorescent identification and enrichment of successfully transfected cells. This multi-guide strategy increases the likelihood of inducing frameshifts or deletions that produce a functional knockout, offering a more robust alternative to single-guide approaches. DSBs induced at multiple sites are resolved through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or, when used with the included HDR donor template, homology-directed repair (HDR) at a defined target site within the locus.

When used in conjunction with the RFP-expressing HDR donor, GFP and RFP fluorescence can be used together to distinguish transfected from edited cell populations, streamlining flow cytometry-based sorting and clone selection workflows.

Homology-Directed Repair (HDR) Donor — Puromycin Cassette with RFP Reporter

For applications requiring confirmed, selectable knockout clones, CD38 HDR Plasmid (r) includes an HDR donor construct containing a puromycin resistance cassette (PuroR) and a red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter, flanked by homology arms specific to a defined target site.
When co-transfected with CD38 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (r):

• The PuroR-RFP cassette integrates at the Cas9 cut site via HDR, disrupting the open reading frame.
• RFP fluorescence provides an immediate visual indicator of successful integration, enabling fluorescence-based identification or sorting of edited cells prior to or alongside puromycin selection.
• Successfully edited cells are confirmed through puromycin resistance, substantially reducing clone screening burden.
• This selection strategy is ideal for generating stable, clonal KO cell lines for downstream functional studies, drug screening, or model development.

Cre-lox Cassette Removal System

The HDR donor construct features loxP sites flanking the PuroR-RFP selection cassette to allow clean marker removal following clone confirmation. Transient expression of Cre recombinase via the included Cre Vector: sc-418923 excises the cassette, leaving a minimal residual loxP site within the locus and eliminating potential confounding effects on downstream assays.
This two-step approach:

• Minimizes disruption to local chromatin architecture and neighboring regulatory elements
• Restores a near-native genomic context at the edited locus
• Enables reuse of the puromycin selection strategy in the same cell line for additional edits

Key Features

• gRNA targeting exon(s) critical for CD38 function
• Co-expression of SpCas9 and sgRNA from a single plasmid for simplified delivery
• HDR donor with puromycin resistance for positive clone selection
• loxP-flanked PuroR cassette with Cre recombinase vector for seamless marker removal
• Supplied ready to use for delivery by transfection

For Research Use Only. Not Intended for Diagnostic or Therapeutic Use.