Integrin α7/ITGA7 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (m): sc-421165

Overview

Itga7 encodes integrin α7 (ITGA7), an α subunit that heterodimerizes with integrin β1 to form a laminin-binding receptor enriched in skeletal and cardiac muscle. This adhesion receptor couples the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton and contributes to myoblast adhesion, migration, and differentiation, while shaping signaling through focal adhesion complexes that engage FAK/Src, ILK, and downstream PI3K–AKT and MAPK pathways. ITGA7-dependent mechanotransduction supports muscle fiber stability and neuromuscular junction organization, linking extracellular laminin cues to intracellular cytoskeletal remodeling. Altered ITGA7 function or expression is associated with impaired muscle integrity and dystrophic-like phenotypes in model systems, making it a useful node for studying muscle development, regeneration, and extracellular matrix signaling.

Integrin α7/ITGA7 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (m) is a pool of plasmids designed for targeted disruption of the Itga7 gene in mouse cell lines. Each plasmid co-expresses a unique single guide RNA (sgRNA) targeting a distinct site within the Itga7 together with the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 nuclease. The plasmids also encode GFP, allowing fluorescent identification and enrichment of successfully transfected cells by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry.

The multi-guide design increases the likelihood of generating insertions or deletions (indels) that disrupt the Itga7 open reading frame following Cas9-mediated double-strand break formation. DNA breaks introduced by the CRISPR/Cas9 system are repaired through endogenous non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways, frequently resulting in frameshift mutations that abolish Integrin α7/ITGA7 protein expression.

This CRISPR knockout system enables efficient generation of Itga7-deficient cell models for investigation of Integrin α7/ITGA7 signaling, functional genomics studies, cancer biology research, and evaluation of therapeutic responses in human cell lines.

Key Features

• sgRNAs targeting Itga7 exon(s) critical for Integrin α7/ITGA7 function
• Co-expression of SpCas9 and sgRNA from a single plasmid for simplified delivery
• GFP reporter for identification of transfected cells
• Pool of plasmids targeting multiple Itga7 genomic sites to improve knockout efficiency
• Compatible with delivery by transfection

Design Variants

CRISPRs +/- HDRs

• gRNAs encoded by Integrin α7/ITGA7 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (m) and Integrin α7/ITGA7 CRISPR/Cas9 KO Plasmid (m2) target distinct sites within the Itga7 locus. One or both targeting designs may be available. See Related Products for availability.
• HDR donor constructs encoded by Integrin α7/ITGA7 HDR Plasmid (m) and Integrin α7/ITGA7 HDR Plasmid (m2) contain a puromycin resistance cassette and an RFP reporter flanked by Itga7 homology arms to support homology-directed repair at defined Itga7 target sites corresponding to the CRISPR/Cas9 KO designs. HDR donor availability may vary. See Related Products for availability.

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