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Introduction: In response to the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we developed a rapid molecular approach to diagnose COVID-19 without the need for RNA extraction. Methods: The study utilized two molecular methods, RT-qPCR and colorimetric RT-LAMP, to diagnose the RdRp and ORF8 genes, respectively, in oro-nasopharyngeal swabs. Due to the high sequence diversity of ORF8 in SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, it has been identified as a suitable target for virus detection. The RT-LAMP method was also carried out directly on heat-treated swab samples. The strip tests were made using gold nanoparticles and combined with the RT-LAMP for further analysis. Results: The results showed that the isothermal amplification method had a sensitivity of 95 % (95 % C.I.: 86.08 %–98.96 %) and a specificity of 75 % (95 % C.I.: 19.41 %–99.37 %). The RT-LAMP-LFA method was able to distinguish positive and negative samples with 100 % sensitivity (95 % C.I.: 91.96–100) and 77.27 % specificity (95 % C.I.: 54.63–92.18). This method only required heating swab samples for 10 min at 65 °C before the RT-LAMP reaction. Conclusion: By utilizing the RT-LAMP in combination with the LFA, it is possible to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 rapidly without the need for RNA extraction. The entire process from sample collection to test interpretation takes only 75–90 min, and the results can be interpreted by untrained individuals with the naked eye. By employing the ORF8 gene as a diagnostic target and eliminating the need for RNA extraction, the direct RT-LAMP-LFA method achieves a significant breakthrough that was not previously reported.

Abstract Background Nurses who play the leading role in caring for patients, especially nurses in the chemotherapy department who are constantly exposed to high-risk drugs and their side effects, should pay more attention to occupational safety. This study was performed to determine the effect of training chemotherapy safety standards using a smartphone application on nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and performance. Methods The whole enumeration of fifty oncology nurses was recruited who they worked in 3 hospitals affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (west of Iran). The study was conducted from June to November 2021. The training was done for four weeks with a smartphone application, including six main courses of familiarity with hazardous drugs, Personal Protective Equipment, preparation, storage and transfer, spilling, and wastes disposal of hazardous drudges . The nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and performance questionnaire were completed before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, descriptive and inferential statistical tests of independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, repeated measures analysis of variance, and the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) model. Results Mean knowledge score of participants before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention was (47.18 ± 8.19), (60.08 ± 3.82), and (61.88 ± 3.45), respectively. The mean attitude score of participants before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention was (30.34 ± 3.94), (34.32 ± 3.25), and (34.98 ± 2.88), in order, and the mean performance score of participants before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention was (43.60 ± 5.11), (51.78 ± 3.15) and (52.88 ± 3.06), respectively. The mean nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and performance score increased significantly over time (P

Abstract Exome sequencing has introduced a paradigm shift for the identification of germline variations responsible for Mendelian diseases. However, non‐coding regions, which make up 98% of the genome, cannot be captured. The lack of functional annotation for intronic and intergenic variants makes RNA‐seq a powerful companion diagnostic. Here, we illustrate this point by identifying six patients with a recessive Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) and neonatal progeria syndrome. By integrating homozygosity mapping and RNA‐seq, we delineated a deep intronic TAPT1 mutation (c.1237‐52 G>A) that segregated with the disease. Using SI‐NET‐seq, we document that TAPT1's nascent transcription was not affected in patients' fibroblasts, indicating instead that this variant leads to an alteration of pre‐mRNA processing. Predicted to serve as an alternative splicing branchpoint, this mutation enhances TAPT1 exon 12 skipping, creating a protein‐null allele. Additionally, our study reveals dysregulation of pathways involved in collagen and extracellular matrix biology in disease‐relevant cells. Overall, our work highlights the power of transcriptomic approaches in deciphering the repercussions of non‐coding variants, as well as in illuminating the molecular mechanisms of human diseases.

Introduction Family caregivers of patients with cancer face a care burden due to the responsibilities and problems of providing care to the patients. Applying appropriate strategies to reduce the burden is essential. Objective The study aimed to determine the effect of education and telephone follow-up on family caregivers’ burden on patients with cancer. Methods In this quasi-experimental study, 69 family caregivers of patients with cancer referred to only one chemotherapy center of a hospital in Lorestan province in Iran were recruited by convenience sampling method. They were randomly assigned to intervention ( n = 33) and control ( n = 36) groups. For the intervention group, two face-to-face training sessions and six telephone counseling sessions were held related to the care of the patients and self-care. The control group received only routine care. The family caregiver burden was measured by Novak and Gast Caregiver Burden Inventory (1989) completed before, immediately, and 6 weeks after the study. Data were analyzed by SPSS21 using independent t -tests, paired t -tests, and repeated measures. Results Both groups were homogeneous regarding demographic characteristics and the baseline care burden. The caregiver burden decreased significantly in the intervention group, so its score was 77.33 ± 8.49, 58.93 ± 8.03, and 52.78 ± 6.86 before the study, immediately after and 6 weeks later, respectively ( p

Abstract The phenylpropanoid pathway serves as a rich source of metabolites in plants, and it is considered as a starting point for the production of many other important compounds such as the flavonoids, flavonols, coumarins, and lignans. Scrophularia striata is a member of the Lamiaceae family with some biological activities similar to flavonoid compounds such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) and Chalcone synthase (CHS) are key enzymes of the phenylpropanoid pathway, leading to the biosynthesis of several secondary metabolites. In this study, two S. striata CHS and C4H were isolated and then analyzed. The investigation of the expression of these genes was performed under the effects of three salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and gibberellic acid (GA) at concentrations of 100 and 300 ppm with a completely randomized design at the transcript level using Real Time PCR method. These have different expression patterns at developmental stages. Moreover, these genes present different sensitivities to hormonal treatment. Considering the total results, it was found that the amount of expression of these genes during the reproductive phase is higher than that of the vegetative phase. Additionally, the treatment of 300 ppm SA in the reproductive phase is the most effective treatment on increasing the corresponding phenylpropanoid compounds. A correlation analysis was performed between the phenylpropanoid compounds content and both CHS and C4H expression values at different phenological development stages. The results indicate that the expression variations of both CHS and C4H are significantly related to the changes in total phenolic content. We believe that the isolation of CHS and C4H can be helpful in better understanding phenylpropanoid metabolis.

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system characterized by myelin loss and axonal dysfunction. Increased production of inflammatory factors such as cytokines has been implicated in axon destruction. In the present study, we compared the expression level of IL7R, NFATc2, and RNF213 genes in the peripheral blood of 72 MS patients (37 familial MS, 35 sporadic MS) and 74 healthy controls (34 individuals with a family history of the disease, 40 healthy controls without a family history) via Real-time PCR. Our results showed that the expression level of IL7R was decreased in the sporadic patients in comparison with other groups. Additionally, there was an increased NFATc2 expression level in MS patients versus healthy controls. Increased expression of NFATc2 in sporadic and familial groups compared to the controls, and familial group versus FDR was also seen. Our results also represented an increased expression level of RNF213 in familial patients as compared to the control group. The similar RNF213 expression between sporadic and control group, as well as FDR and familial group was also seen. Diagnostic evaluation was performed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) calculation. The correlation of clinical parameters including onset age and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) with our gene expression levels were also assessed. Overall, decreased expression level of IL7R in the sporadic cases and increased expression level of NFATc2 may be associated with the pathogenesis of MS disease. Confirmation of the effects of differential expression of RNF213 gene requires further studies in the wider statistical populations.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most common sources of cell-based therapies in heart regeneration. There are several approaches to differentiate MSCs into cardiac-like cells, such as genetic modification. In addition, using of 3D culture, such as hydrogels, increases the efficiency of differentiation. Methods: In the present study, lentiviruses containing microRNA 1 (miR- 1) and myocardium (Myocd) were co-transducted to mouse adipose-derived MSCs. Three days after, transduced MSCs were transferred to a hydrogel containing chitosan and collagen. After 21 days, the differentiation of encapsulated cells was evaluated. In this regard, the expression of cardiac markers such as NK2 homeobox 5 (Nkx2-5), GATA binding protein 4 (Gata4) and troponin T type 2 (Tnnt2) at the level of gene and protein were investigated. Results: The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry showed that co-induction of miR-1 and Myocd in MSCs followed by transfer to composite hydrogel increased the expression of cardiac markers. Conclusion: The use of 3D culture such as chitosan/collagen hydrogel improves the differentiation of MSCs and subsequently obtains more mature cells for use in cell-based regenerative medicine

Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a type of dementia. Currently, there are not any existing and reliable methods for the prognosis or diagnosis of AD. Hence, finding a diagnostic/prognostic biomarker for AD helps physicians to prescribe the treatments and methods preventing disease progression. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are the most promising biomarkers due to their non-invasive and easily accessible for diagnosis and prognosis of AD. The aim of current study is to evaluate expression levels of two unwell-known circulating miRNAs including hsa-miR-324-3p and hsa-miR-331-3p in serums of AD patients and to understand their roles in AD physiopathogenesis by in silico analysis. Materials and Methods: In this case and control study, to get the gene targets related to these two miRNAs, TargetScan, miRTargetLink Human and mirDIP web servers were applied. In addition, gene networks and gene ontology enrichment analysis were performed by STRING 10.5, KEGG and ShinyGO v0.41. Experimentally, expression levels of these two miRNAs in the serum of 21 patients with AD and 23 healthy individuals were compared using the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. Results: The pathophysiological pathways associated with these two miRNAs were nucleotide metabolism and cellular response to stress pathway. Furthermore, the upregulated expression levels of hsa-miR-324-3p and hsa-miR-331-3p in comparison with the healthy control serums were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Non-significant results were obtained from the expression levels of AD patients and two significant pathways were obtained by networks and gene enrichment analysis.

Abstract Alterations in the regulatory mechanisms that control the process of myelination in the nervous system, may lead to the impaired myelination in the Multiple sclerosis. The Hippo pathway is an important mediator of myelination in the nervous system and might contribute to the pathophysiology of MS. This study examined via qPCR the RNA expression of YAP1, TAZ, and CRB3 as the key effectors of the Hippo pathway and also, VDR in the peripheral blood of 35 sporadic, 37 familial MS patients; and also 34 healthy first-degree relatives of the familial MS patients (HFR) and 40 healthy individuals without a family history of the disease (control). The results showed the increased expression of VDR in the sporadic group, as compared to other groups. There was also an increased expression of TAZ in the familial and HFR groups, as compared to the control group. The familial and sporadic patients displayed a significantly lower level of expression of YAP1 in comparison to the HFR group. The increased expression level in the sporadic patients and control group, as compared to the HFR group, was seen in CRB3. We also assessed different clinical parameters and MRI characteristics of the patients. Overall, these findings suggest that Hippo pathway effectors and also VDR gene may play a potential role in the pathophysiology of the sporadic and familial forms of MS. Confirmation of different gene expression patterns in sporadic and familial MS groups may have obvious implications for the personalization of therapies in the disease.

Abstract Background The ability of CRISPR/Cas9 to mutate any desired genomic locus is being increasingly explored in the emerging area of cancer immunotherapy. In this respect, current efforts are mostly focused on the use of autologous (i.e. patient-derived) T cells. The autologous approach, however, has drawbacks in terms of manufacturing time, cost, feasibility and scalability that can affect therapeutic outcome or wider clinical application. The use of allogeneic T cells from healthy donors may overcome these limitations. For this strategy to work, the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) needs to be knocked out in order to reduce off-tumor, graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD). Furthermore, CD52 may be knocked out in the donor T cells, since this leaves them resistant to the commonly used anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody lymphodepletion regimen aiming to suppress rejection of the infused T cells by the recipient. Despite the great prospect, genetic manipulation of human T cells remains challenging, in particular how to deliver the engineering reagents: virus-mediated delivery entails the inherent risk of altering cancer gene expression by the genomically integrated CRISPR/Cas9. This is avoided by delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 as ribonucleoproteins, which, however, are fragile and technically demanding to produce. Electroporation of CRISPR/Cas9 expression plasmids would bypass the above issues, as this approach is simple, the reagents are robust and easily produced and delivery is transient. Results Here, we tested knockout of either TCR or CD52 in human primary T cells, using electroporation of CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids. After validating the CRISPR/Cas9 constructs in human 293 T cells by Tracking of Indels by Decomposition (TIDE) and Indel Detection by Amplicon Analysis (IDAA) on-target genomic analysis, we evaluated their efficacy in primary T cells. Four days after electroporation with the constructs, genomic analysis revealed a knockout rate of 12–14% for the two genes, which translated into 7–8% of cells showing complete loss of surface expression of TCR and CD52 proteins, as determined by flow cytometry analysis. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that genomic knockout by electroporation of plasmids encoding CRISPR/Cas9 is technically feasible in human primary T cells, albeit at low efficiency.

Introduction: Osteoporosis is one of the main causes of bone fractures in old age. The examination of osteoporosis in the elderly is very complicated due to the heterogeneity of the aging process. This study aimed to investigate the correlation of the TNC gene in the patients with an inherited and very rare osteoporosis syndrome. The importance of this study was the identification of a specific biomarker for the osteoporosis process in a monogenic disease. Methods: In this case-control study, the patients with Osteogenesis Imperfecta were used as a simple and monogenic model to investigate the possibility of TNC gene role in osteoporosis. For this purpose, TNC protein network and its related biological pathways were firstly evaluated by bioinformatic analysis. Then, skin biopsies were taken from 3 patients with inherited osteoporosis syndrome called Osteogenesis Imperfecta and two healthy individuals. After culturing the biopsy, fibroblast cells were isolated from keratinocyte cells. Then, the total RNA of each sample was extracted from two different passages and cDNA was synthesized. Subsequently, the expression of TNC gene was measured by Real-time PCR in healthy and patient cells using various replicates. Results: TNC network proteins are significantly associated with the biological pathways involved in the ossification process. The expression of the TNC gene was assessed in wild type and patient cells. Finally, our results confirmed a significant increase in the expression of TNC in the patients’ compared to wild types’ cells by using technical and biological replicates (p:0.005, p:0.007) and Student t-test. In this study, Excel and GraphPad Prism 5.0 software (GraphPad Software, Inc., San Diego, CA) were used. Conclusion: Increased expression of TNC gene in a monogenic osteoporosis syndrome can indicate the potential role of this gene in the process of bone loss and introduce this gen as a new biomarker for osteoporosis. The study on rare Osteogenesis Imperfecta syndrome is a simple and monogenic model to investigate the heterogeneous osteoporosis. Therefore, the expression of the candidate gene needs to be evaluated and confirmed in an appropriate statistical population composed of patients with osteoporosis.

Background: HER2 status testing in breast cancer is crucial for the detection of eligible patients for trastuzumab therapy. In this study, the relative copy number of HER2 gene, in patients with breast cancer, was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and the results were compared with those of immunohistochemistry (IHC) to obtain the concordance rate between these two methods. Material and Methods: HER2 status of 31 invasive breast cancer samples was compared using IHC and FISH techniques. The ratio of HER2/CEP17 was used to determine the amplification of the HER2 gene. If the ratio of HER2/CEP17 is greater than 2.2, HER2 gene amplification has occurred in the cancer cells. Then, a comparative analysis is performed to estimate the concordance rate between FISH and IHC results. Results: The gene amplification of HER2 was observed in 26% of cases by FISH. The IHC and FISH results showed 100%, 36.36%, and 85.71% concordance rates for cases with IHC scores of 3+, 2+, and 0/+1, respectively. The overall concordance between the two methods was 80%. Based on statistical analysis, HER2 status showed a considerable correlation with tumor grade (P= 0.02). No correlation was observed between HER2 gene status and the size and type of tumor, characteristics of lymph node, and patients’ age. Conclusion: The data suggested that IHC results are reliable for HER2 status testing in cases with IHC scores 0/+1 and 3+. However, in patients with an IHC score of +2, it is necessary to perform a complimentary test to evaluate HER2 status to avoid haphazard treatment with trastuzumab in negative cases and identifying positive cases for suitable treatment.

Background and Objectives: Tumor-infiltrating regulatory T (TI-Treg) cells perform the significant function in cancer immune escape. In this study, the third generation CAR construct was designed against human CD25 antigen, the significant cell surface biomarker of TI-Tregs. Methods: Initially, the construct of anti-CD25 CAR was designed. Using RNAfold web server, the RNA secondary structure was evaluated. Also, utilizing lentiviral vectors, NK-92 cell line was transduced. Afterward, the expression level of anti-CD25 CAR RNA was assessed by qRT-PCR in NK-92 cells transduced with CAR and mock transfer vectors and also untreated cells. Results: The RNA secondary structure was stable. Also, the expression level of anti-CD25 CAR RNA in transduced NK-92 cells by pCDH-513B-1-anti-CD25 CAR transfer vector was significantly higher than transduced NK-92 cells by mock transfer vector and untreated cells (p˂0.0001). Conclusion: The present study on anti-CD25 CAR RNA showed that this type of CAR transcripts were stable and expressed at high level. In fact, this type of CAR can be further studied in the future as a tool to remove the cancer immune escape in all types of solid and liquid cancers.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most common sources in cell-based therapies in heart regeneration. There are several methods to differentiate MSCs into cardiac-like cells, such as gene induction. Moreover, using a three-dimensional (3D) culture, such as hydrogels increases efficiency of differentiation. In the current study, mouse adipose-derived MSCs were co-transduced with lentiviruses containing microRNA-1 ( miR-1 ) and Myocardin ( Myocd ). Then, expression of cardiac markers, such as NK2 homeobox 5( Nkx2-5 ), GATA binding protein 4 ( Gata4 ), and troponin T type 2 ( Tnnt2 ) was investigated, at both gene and protein levels in two-dimensional (2D) culture and chitosan/collagen hydrogel (CS/CO) as a 3D culture. Additionally, after induction of myocardial infarction (MI) in rats, a patch containing the encapsulated induced cardiomyocytes (iCM/P) was implanted to MI zone. Subsequently, 30 days after MI induction, echocardiography, immunohistochemistry staining, and histological examination were performed to evaluate cardiac function. The results of quantitative real -time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry showed that co-induction of miR-1 and Myocd in MSCs followed by 3D culture of transduced cells increased expression of cardiac markers. Besides, results of in vivo study implicated that heart function was improved in MI model of rats in iCM/P-treated group. The results suggested that miR-1/Myocd induction combined with encapsulation of transduced cells in CS/CO hydrogel increased efficiency of MSCs differentiation into iCMs and could improve heart function in MI model of rats after implantation.

Purpose: Interferon beta (IFN-β) is used to combat multiple sclerosis (MS) disease. Creating R27T and V101F mutations (mHuIFN-β-27 and mHuIFN-β-101) is one of the tasks performed to improve human interferon beta (HuIFN-β) half-life, function and expression. In this work, the impact of R27T and V101F mutations in recombinant IFN-β on its binding to interferon receptors were studied by molecular docking. Methods: This work was performed through in silico study. The simulation of mutation was performed using the online Rosetta Backrub software and checked using server verify3D. Comparison of access to the solvent of the amino acids in the structures created was performed using the asaview online server. Also, the effect of mutations on the fold of the protein was reviewed by the online HOPE server. The molecular docking was performed between HuIFN-β and the external region of IFNAR receptor using the online ClusPro2 protein-protein docking server. Results: The comparison of the values of the negative binding energy (ΔGbind) obtained from protein-protein molecular docking between IFNAR receptor and HuIFN-β, mHuIFN-β-27, mHuIFN-β-101 and mHuIFN-β-27-101 ligands did not show a significant difference, and these differences do not see any meaningful relationship between them (P > 0.9999). Conclusion: Regarding these results, it can be concluded that these mutations do not have a negative effect on the composition of the complex rHuIFN-β/IFNAR. So, they do not interfere with the binding of the IFN-β to the receptor. It is concluded that the quality of the rHuIFN-β is improved by introducing these two mutations.

Yes-associated protein (YAP1), the downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, plays important roles in the regulation of tissue reconstruction,stem cell proliferation, and development of different cancers. The regulation of YAP1 phosphorylation, YAP1 expressionlevel, and its cellular localization have been considered in cancer development. There are different experimental evidences thatindicate that YAP1 activation results in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis. YAP1 is a transcription co-activator, andits dysregulation has been suggested in various cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). The localization of YAP1 in the nucleusresults in YAP1 interactions with different transcription factors to promote the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation,metastasis, and stem cell maintenance. However, a number of studies have been reported the tumor suppressor role of YAP1 in CRC.Therefore, a better understanding of the YAP1 regulation could be helpful for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CRC. In thisreview, we will discuss different roles of YAP1 in CRC progression through the regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs),microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (CircRNAs) in YAP1 regulation.

Introduction: Interferon beta is one of the members of type I interferons. Creating R27T and V101F mutations is one of the important researches performed to improve function, decrease immunogenicity, increase expression and increase half-life of interferon beta. In this study, the effects of R27T and V101F mutations on interferon beta binding to interferon receptors were studied by molecular docking. Method: This study was performed through Bioinformatics methods. The required crystal structures were provided by the RCSB server. The simulations of R27T and V101F mutations were performed using online Rosetta Backrub software. Comparison of access to the solvent for the amino acids in the created structures was performed using asaview online server. Also, the effect of mutations on the structure and protein folding was investigated by the online Hope server and SPDBV software. The molecular docking between HuIFN-β and the external region of IFNAR receptor was performed using the online ClusPro2 protein-protein docking server. Results: The comparison of the values of the negative binding energy (ΔGbind) obtained from protein-protein molecular docking between IFNAR receptor and HuIFN-β, mHuIFN-β-27, mHuIFN-β-101 and mHuIFN-β-27-101 ligands did not show a significant difference (P> 0.99). Conclusion: Regarding these results, it can be concluded that the produced mutations do not have a negative effect on the forming of rHuIFN-β/IFNAR complex and does not interfere with the binding of the interferon beta to the receptor and thus improves the quality of the produced rHuIFN-β.

For many years, high-affinity subunit of IL-2 receptor (CD25) has been considered as a promising therapeutic target for different pathologic conditions like allograft rejection, autoimmunity, and cancers. Although CD25 is transiently expressed by newly-activated T cells, it is the hallmark of regulatory T (Treg) cells which are the most important immunosuppressive elements in tumor microenvironment. Thus, Tregs can be considered as a potential target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based therapeutic approaches. On the other hand, due to some profound adverse effects pertaining to the use of CAR T cells, CAR NK cells have caught researchers’ attention as a safer choice. Based on these, the aim of this study was to design and develop a CAR NK cell against CD25 as the most prominent biomarker of Tregs with the prospect of overcoming immune escape mechanism in solid and liquid cancers. In the current study, an anti-CD25 CAR was designed and evaluated by comprehensive in silico analyses. Then, using lentiviral transduction system, NK-92 cell line was engineered to express this anti-CD25 CAR construct. In vitro functional analyses of anti-CD25 CAR for its reactivity against CD25 antigen as well as for cytotoxicity and cytokine production assays against CD25 bearing Jurkat cell line were done. In silico analyses demonstrated that the anti-CD25 CAR transcript and scFv protein structures were stable and had proper interaction with the target. Also, in vitro analyses showed that the anti-CD25 CAR-engineered NK-92 cells were able to specifically detect and lyse target cells with an appropriate cytokine production and cytotoxic activity. To conclude, the results showed that this novel CAR NK cell is functional and warrant further investigations.

Background: VEGF111b is a new isoform of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) recently considered as a new anticancer drug. The aim of this study was to evaluate the VEGF111b secretion from HEK293 cell wall in order to commercial production of this recombinant factor. Materials and Methods: After the design of VEGF111b sequence using OLIGO software and NCBI gene bank data, it was cloned into the pBUD.cE4.1 vector. The pBUD.VEGF111b recombinant vector was transfected into HEK293 cells using lipofectamine kit. Forty-eight hours after the transfection the production of VEGF111b was estimated by Western blotting and Human anti VEGF antibody. The VEGF111b secretion into cell culture and cell lysate extract was measured using ELISA. Results: The correct cloning of VEGF111b into pBUD.cE4.1vector was confirmed using enzymatic digestion and gel electrophoresis. The observed production of recombinant peptide in HEK293 was confirmed with 12KDa band in cell lysate extract of Western blotting. The ELISA results at 450 nanometer absorbance for cell culture media and cell lysate extract were 19.20±2.81 pg/ml and 32.87±7.42 pg/ml, respectively. However, no VEGF111b expression was observed in negative controls. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the powerful ability of transformation and secretion of VEGF111b from HEK293 cell wall to cell culture media with no breaking and proteolytic digestion. It seems that the commercial production and purification of this therapeutic peptide from HEK293 cell culture would be possible with high efficiency.

Background and purpose: Endothelial growth factor type b with anti-angiogenic activity and inhibition of tumor growth are considered as new anticancer drugs. The aim of this research was to study the expression of vegf111b in HEK293 human cells. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, HEK293 cells were transfected by pBUD.VEGF111b vector containing the VEGF111B gene through lipofectamine method. The mRNA of transfected cells and control cells were extracted and cDNA was built over it. Then, the expression levels of vegf111b were measured using Real time- PCR. Results: Transfection of HEK293 cells was successfully done and 48 hours after transfection of HEK293 cells, ct of the vegf111b expression in transfected cells was 23.17 and ct of the GAPDH control gene expression in these cells was 21.11. In the control (untransfected) cells the ct of GAPDH was 21.09 and there was no expression of vegf111b in these cells. Conclusion: Expression of Vegf111b recombinant protein in HEK293 cells is the first step for further research on this protein. Current study has provided the possibility of using this product for future research on angiogenesis and cancer treatments.

The genetic association between cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutations and male infertility due to congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD) is well established. Mutant CFTR, however may also be involved in the etiology of male infertility in non-CBAVD cases. The present study was conducted to estimate the frequency of ∆I507 and ∆F508 CFTR gene mutations in Iranian infertile males. We undertook the first study of association between these CFTR mutations and non-obstructive azoospermia in Iran. In this case-control study, 100 fertile healthy fathers and 100 non-obstructive azoospermia’s men were recruited from Isfahan Infertility Center (IIC) and Sari Saint Mary’s Infertility Center, between 2008 and 2009. Screening of F508del and I507del mutations was carried out by the multiplex-ARMS-PCR. Significance of differences in mutation frequencies between the patient and control groups was assessed by Fisher’s exact test. The ΔF508 was detected in three patients. However there are no significant association was found between the presence of this mutated allele and infertility [OR=9.2 (allele-based) and 7.2 (individual-based), P=0.179]. None of the samples carried the ΔI507 mutation. Altogether, we show that neither ΔI507 nor ΔF508 is involved in this population of Iranian infertile males with non-obstructive azoospermia.

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by cell-mediated autoimmune attack on pancreatic beta-cells. Previous studies highlight the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of T1D. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs involved in the regulation of gene expression post-transcriptionally. In this work, miR-18b was chosen and the differential expression of it was measured between T1D patients and healthy controls from Isfahan population. Materials and Methods: MiR-18b was selected using Bioinformatics studies by miRWalk software. 22 T1D patients and 18 healthy controls from Isfahan population were enrolled in this study. Total RNA of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) samples were extracted. After cDNA synthesis, the expression profile of miR-18b quantified by means of qPCR method in patients and controls. Finally the results were statistically analyzed. Results: In this study despite our hypothesis, the expression levels of miR-18b didn’t show any significant difference between T1D patients and healthy controls (p value: 0.145). Conclusion: Due to the results of our experimental analysis, it seems that miR-18b doesn’t have any association with T1D disease in Isfahan population.

Background: Interferons are some kind of natural cytokines which express in response to a variety of antigens including viral RNA, bacterial products, and tumor proteins. Interferon beta is used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Moreover, this drug inhibits cellular proliferation as well as angiogenesis and as a result, helps to cure cancer. In this research, in addition to cloning the interferon-beta gene along with conserved kozak sequence after the strong eEf1a promoter in the pBud.CE4.1 vector, the expression of this recombinant gene was compared to basal expression in HEK293T cell line using real-time PCR, SDS PAGE and western blot tests. Materials and Methods: In the beginning, the interferon-beta gene was amplified from the pSVM dhfr vector containing the gene, using primers including BglII and KpnI restriction sites as well as conserved kozak sequence. Then the duplicated gene was digested and inserted in the linear pBud.CE4.1 vector. After ensuring entry of the gene using RFLP, colony PCR and sequencing, the recombinant vector was transfected into E. coli TOP10 competent bacteria. After that, amplified recombinant vector was extracted and transfected into HEK293 cell line. Results: The expression of interferon-beta cloned in pBud.CE4.1 vector showed a 79.9-fold increase, in comparison with the basal expression in HEK293T cell line. Moreover, non-recombinant vector transfection has increased the expression of interferon-beta up to 2.87 times in the cell line that is probably due to the existence of the viral promoter in the vector. Conclusion: Real-time PCR and protein test results showed that recombinant beta interferon gene had been successfully expressed in HEK293T cell line. In order to produce more of this protein, optimization of various conditions are required for the HEK293T cell line.

Background: Some dynamic changes occurs during spermatogenesis such as histone removal and its replacement with transition nuclear protein and protamine. These proteins are required for packing and condensation of sperm chromatin. JHDM2A is a histone demethylase that directly binds to promoter regions of Tnp1 and Prm1 genes and controls their expression by removing H3K9 at their promoters. Objective: The association between polymorphisms of exon 12 and exon 24 in JHDM2A gene and male infertility were evaluated for the first time. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 400 infertile men (oligospermia and azoospermia) and normal healthy fathers were evaluated (n=200). Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP-PCR) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods were used for screening any polymorphisms that are exist in exon 12 and exon 24. Results: Exon 24 PCR products were analyzed by RFLP but no polymorphism was found in this exon at the restriction site of EcoRV enzyme. Our monitoring along the whole nucleotides of exon 12 and exon 24 were continued using SSCP method, but we found no change along these exons. Conclusion: Generally, this study evaluated the association between polymorphisms in exon 12 and exon 24 of JHDM2A gene and male infertility which suggests that polymorphisms of these exons may not be associated with the risk of male infertility.

Background: Urinary tract infections are one of the most frequent health problems and Uropathogenic Escherichia coli is the major pathogen resulting UTIs. The severity of UTIs is caused by the expression of a large range of virulence factors.In this study, we evaluated the allelic frequency fimH gene, in UPECs isolated from patients with UTIs. This study also aimed to determine the roles of C640T and T591A SNPs of the fimH gene in the ability of UPEC to cause UTIs. Material and Methods: A total of 140 UPEC strains isolated from patients with UTIs were screened by PCR-RFLP for determining the prevalence of the C640T and T591A SNPs of fimH gene in UPEC strains isolated from patients referred to educational hospitals of Shahrekord. The genotyping of C640T and T591A SNPs was performed using Bme1390I and BseNI restriction enzymes, respectively through PCR-RFLP method. Results: There were no meaningful association between C640T and T591A SNPs of fimH gene and the ability of UPEC fimH variants to cause UTIs in the studied E. coli isolates. Conclusion: FimH is one of the most major virulence factors among UPECs which is confirmed in most E. coli isolates. Further studies are required to determine the association between different fimH gene SNPs of isolated UPECs from UTIs patients and the ability of UPEC fimH variants to cause UTIs.

مقدمه: واکنش PCR کمی در زمان واقعی (Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction یا qRT-PCR)، یک روش سریع، حساس و قابل اعتماد برای مقایسه‌ی بیان ژن‌ها می‌باشد که مستعد خطاهای تکنیکی فراوانی است. همچنین، استفاده از ژن‌های مرجع (خانه‌گردان) تاریخی، همیشه و در همه‌ی بافت‌ها مناسب نمی‌باشد. در این مطالعه، به بررسی و انتخاب ژن(های) مرجع مناسب در بافت بیضه پرداخته شد تا بتوان از این ژن(های) مناسب برای انجام واکنش qRT-PCR استفاده کرد. روش‌ها: نمونه‌ی بافت بیضه از 15 مرد آزواسپرم غیر انسدادی (NOA یا Non-obstructive azoospermia) به عنوان گروه مورد و 15 مرد آزواسپرم انسدادی (OA یا Obstructive azoospermia) به عنوان گروه شاهد گرفته شد. با استفاده از نرم‌افزار Beacon designer 8.1 پرایمرهای مناسب برای چهار ژن مرجع Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)، Ribosomal protein L37 (RPL37)، Ring finger protein 1 (RING1) و Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (eEF2) طراحی شد. بهینه‌سازی‌های قبل از انجام qRT-PCR، شامل کنترل مقدار RNA برای سنتز Complementary DNA (cDNA) و تعیین غلظت مناسب پرایمرها انجام شد. منحنی ذوب رسم گردید و مقادیر Quantitation cycle (Cq) استخراج شد. آنالیز میانگین Cq در دو گروه شاهد و مورد با استفاده از نرم‌افزار BestKeeper نسخه‌ی 1 انجام شد و ژن‌های مرجع مناسب انتخاب گردید. یافته‌ها: مقایسه‌ی میانگین Cq بین دو گروه NOA و OA حاکی از آن بود که دو ژن RPL37 و GAPDH به ترتیب با انحراف معیار 39/1 و 67/1 کمترین تغییرات را در بین چهار ژن مرجع کاندیدا نشان داد. بنا بر این، دو ژن RPL37 و GAPDH، به ترتیب با مقادیر r برابر با 959/0 و 927/0، به عنوان مناسب‌ترین ژن‌های مرجع در بافت بیضه انتخاب شد. نتیجه‌گیری: دو ژن RPL37 و GAPDH به ترتیب، مناسب‌ترین ژن‌های مرجع در بافت بیضه هستند و برای مطالعه‌ی بیان ژن‌ها با استفاده از روش qRT-PCR مناسب می‌باشند.

Background: Interferon beta (IFNβ) is one of the important cytokines expressed in response to stimulating factors such as antigens and plays roles in immunity and inflammatory process. In present study, the expression level of IFNβ-1a was examined in HEK293 cell line using real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-Time PCR). Methods: IFNβ gene sequence was amplified using specific primers contained KpnI and BglII restriction site from pSVMdhfr-IFNβ plasmid as template. It was cloned in similarly digested pBud.CE4.1 linear vector. Construction of recombinant plasmid was verified via restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, colony PCR and gene sequencing. Recombinant plasmid was transformed into competent Escherichia coli Top10 cells finally. After amplification, recombinant plasmid was purified and transfected into HEK293. At last, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis and analysis of expression level of gene were performed using Real-Time PCR method. Findings: IFNβ gene was expressed under eEf1a promoter in HEK293 successfully. The expression level of target gene was increased 79.9 times in comparison with the control via transfection. Transfection of null vector showed 2.87 times elevation of target gene expression in response to the alien genome entered into the cell. Conclusion: The proteins produced in prokaryotic systems were non-glycosylated thus they had different physicochemical properties in comparison with the natural form. So, the production of IFNβ protein in human cell line under strong promoter of selected vector is one of the advantages of this research. Protein studies in this field are targeted for the future studies.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), have been documented to perform a key role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Recent studies have shown that single nucleotide polymorphism in the sequence of the miRNA may change their production and expression which can lead to miRNA dysfunction and pathogenicity. Some studies have reported the relationship between miRNA polymorphism and the increased risk of autoimmune disease. This study was conducted to investigate the association between mir155 rs767649, mir196a2 rs11614913 and mir23a rs3745453 polymorphism and the risk of multiple sclerosis in the Iranian MS patients in Isfahan. A population of 80 patients and the same number control were selected. After DNA extraction, genotyping was performed through tetra amplification refractory mutation system-PCR method (T ARMS PCR). The frequencies of TT, TC and CC genotypes of mir23a were 46, 35 and 20% in MS patients and 42, 14 and 24 in healthy subjects respectively. These results showed that individuals carrying the genotypes of rs3745453 TC had a 2.3-fold increased risk of MS (OR=2.3, p=0.048). There was no significant difference between genotypes and allele frequency of mir155 and mir196a2 in patients and healthy controls (p>0.05). Our findings specified that CT heterozygosity in mir23a gene significantly related with risk of MS. Unlike mir155 and mir196a2, mir23a rs3745453 may have contributed to the etiology of MS in Isfahan patients. However, extensive studies are required to gain more reliable and authentic results.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies among women in various countries. HER2 overexpression, which is due to different reasons, occurs in 20-30% of breast cancers. HER2 gene encodes an 185kDa transmembrane glycoprotein with 1255 amino acids. This active product triggers downstream intracellular signaling pathways inducing cell proliferation and cell survival. These activities can be done in an uncontrolled manner in the cases which HER2 expression undergoes up-regulation. The aim of this study was optimization of Real Time PCR condition. Materials and Methods: RNA purification, cDNA synthesis and then optimization of Real Time PCR method performed respectively. In this study, total RNA was extracted from fresh tissue samples, first strand of total cDNA was synthesized and in the following steps, Real Time PCR was performed to be optimized. Results: Although altering the protocol, annealing temperature and concentration of MgCl2 did not make any improvement and beneficial effects on reactions, changing the concentration of primers to 0.24 pm/&mul was influential to eliminate primer dimers of Real Time PCR reactions. It demonstrated that the copy number of GAPDH transcripts is more than HER2 transcripts in normal breast tissues. Therefore, deviation in 2.5 differences between the Ct value of HER2 and GAPDH indicated that the copy number of HER2 transcripts was increased therefore, HER2 underwent overexpression in these cases. Conclusion: Under these optimized conditions, this technique can be applied as a powerful method in clinical laboratories.

Background: Amplification of HER2 is seen in 20-30% of breast cancer cases. Measurement of HER2 gene amplification appears to be of vital importance in planning the treatment schedule for patients with breast carcinoma. The aim of our study was to evaluate HER2 amplification status in malignant and benign breast tumors by differential PCR (dPCR). Materials and Methods: The genomic DNA was extracted using the phenol/chloroform extraction procedure from 76 different breast tissues. Differential PCR was performed using the DNA samples isolated from fresh and paraffin- embedded breast cancer tissues. The relative copy number ratio of target gene (HER2) to control gene ( INF-γ ) was measured. dPCR products were then separated by electrophoresis using 2% agarose gel. The intensity of HER2 and INFγ bands were determined for each sample by ImageJ software. Results: According to the ratio between the band intensity of HER2 to INFγ in tumour and also normal samples, 7% and 26% rates of HER2 amplification were observed in benign and malignant samples respectively. The ratio showed a 2-5 fold increase in HER2 gene copy number for tissues with HER2 amplification whereas, a one-fold increase was found in other samples. Conclusion: Differential PCR provides a relatively rapid and inexpensive technique to assess the HER2 gene amplification, especially alongside immunohistochemistry as a routine assessing method .

Introduction : Clavulanic acid is a major β-lactam antibiotic which is produced by Streptomyces clavuligerus. Clavulanic acid is used in combination of strong but sensitive to β-lactamase antibiotics. The claR gene has an important role in regulation of clavulanic acid production and is needed for the expression of the genes in final step of clavulanic acid biosynthesis. Materials and methods: The recombinant construct pMTclaR which contains claR gene is obtained from Isfahan University and plasmid extraction was done from Streptomyces lividans for next steps. The Streptomyces clavuligerus protoplast was prepared and transformation was done by using polyethylene glycol. Transformation was confirmed by plasmid extraction and PCR. Finally, bioassay method was used to survey the effect of extra copy of claR on clavulanic acid production . Results : The typical chalky white colony of Streptomyces clavuligerus was seen on GYME plates containing thiostrepton antibiotic. Plasmid extraction was initially carried out. Furthermore, PCR reaction was done by claR specific primers and the 1334 bp band which was belonging to claR was detected. Finally, the bioassay was done and the diameters of zone of inhibition in control and sample were compared. The results of the bioassay show that amplification of the claR gene in multicopy plasmids resulted in a 2.5 fold increase in clavulanic acid production . Discussion and conclusion : In this study the 3.3 fold increase in clavulanic acid production was obtained by using an expression vector containing claR. According to the clinical use of clavulanic acid, production of bacterial strains which are able to produce high level of antibiotic can help significantly in customization of antibiotic production.

Background: Streptomyces clavuligerus is one of the most important strain that produce clavulanic acid that wildly used in combination of strong but sensitive to β-lactamase antibiotics in clinics. The cas2 is one of the important genes in the biosynthesis pathway of clavulanic acid. Materials and Methods: The recombinant construct pMTcas2 which contain cas2 gene is obtained from Isfahan University. Recombinant plasmid extracts from streptomyces lividans and confirm by enzyme digestion. The streptomyces clavuligerus protoplast was prepared and transformation was done by using polyethylene glycol. Transformation was confirmed by plasmid extraction and PCR using cas2 specific primers. Finally, bioassay method was used to survey the effect of extra copy of cas2 on clavulanic acid production. Result: Plasmid extraction was initially carried out and the structure of plasmid was confirmed by digestion. The typical white colony was seen on protoplast recovery culture containing thiostrepton antibiotic and gray spores were detected after one week. Plasmid extraction was done from transformed strain and transformation was confirmed by PCR. The results of the bioassay show that amplification of the cas2 gene in multicopy plasmids resulted in a 4.1 fold increase in clavulanic acid production. Conclusion: The bioassay was done and the diameters of zone of inhibition in control and sample were compared. The results of the bioassay show that amplification of the cas2 gene in multicopy plasmids resulted in a 4.1 fold increase in clavulanic acid production. Overproduction of clavulanic acid decreases the cost of its dependent drug production.

Objectives: StrR is a putative pathway specific regulator of streptomycin production in Streptomyces griseus. Because of finding new spo0j domain in strR by bioinformatics methods, the purpose of this study was to suggest another role for strR gene. This domain can be seen in proteins that are involved in initiation of sporulation and normal chromosome partitioning. So, 51 bps of strR in accordance to spo0j domain was deleted to investigate effects of deletion mutation in StrR functions. A unique specific procedure, including three consecutive PCRs known as SOEing PCR has been correctly used for site directed mutagenesis. Application and feasibility of this PCR was studied here. Materials and Methods: Bioinformatics studies were carried out for comparison of the sequences similarities between StrR and Spo0J proteins. A unique specific procedure, including three consecutive PCRs, was design here in order to delete a 51 bp from the native strR. Other PCRs such as Semi-Nested PCR and RFLP PCR were used for strR isolation and structural confirmation of the isolated strR and deleted strR genes. Routine genetic engineering procedures were conducted in order to clone the native and deleted strR genes into E. coli. Results: Obtained sequence information, from Conserved Domains Database (CDD) and Clustal W program, has revealed that the StrR is similar to members of ParB family. Here, the strR was initially isolated from Iranian strain of S. griseus (PTCC1127). It was then confirmed as StrR by Semi-Nested PCR and RFLP-PCR. A 51 base pair region of strR gene was deleted by specifically designed overlapped primers. A ten nucleotide overlap region was considered for a set of these primers. The recombinant cassette pSPMstrRΔ17 was constructed and cloned in E. coli. Conclusion: The sequencing results showed that a specific deletion is produced in the desired site and region in the strR gene. Therefore the designed three steps PCRs (known as SOing PCR) is a very rapid, cheap and precise method for introducing such a deletion in any preferred gene.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases comprise a family of enzyme degrade components of extra cellular matrix. There are single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter regions of several genes with ability to influence cancer susceptibility. The aim of this study was to analyze association between MMP3 promoter polymorphisms and colorectal cancer occurrence and progression. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study 120 colorectal cancer patients and 100 controls were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) on the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The patients group was divided into different subgroups: a subgroup without metastatic activity (M - ) and a subgroup that had developed metastasis (M + ). Results: There was a significant difference in frequency of the MMP-3 genotype between cases and controls (χ΂ = 16.17; P = 0.0003). The 5A homozygote in patients and controls was significantly different. The frequency of the 5A allele among affected patients (67.91%) was significantly higher than among the healthy controls (49%; χ² = 16.17, P = 0.00005). At the time of diagnosis, individual who was carrying the 5A allele was more represented in the M + subgroup than in M - subgroup ( χ² = 7.49; P = 0.006, OR = 3.86; 95% CI, 1.43-10.33). The difference between M - and controls did not observe statistically significant ( χ² = 0.009; P = 0.92). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the presence of 5A polymorphism at the MMP-3 promoter region may favor the growth and the metastasis process in colorectal cancer patients and could be looked at as a risk factor for a worse prognosis.

مقدمه: ناباروری یکی از مشکلات عمده در‌ زندگی افراد نابارور است. یکی از دلایل عمده‌ی ژنتیکی ناباروری وقوع حذف‌ها در کرومزوم Y است که با فراوانی 1 تا 15 درصدی در افراد مبتلا به آزوسپرمی ‌و الیگواسپرمی‌ شدید گزارش شده است. بر روی کروموزوم Y 3 ناحیه به نام عوامل آزوسپرمی (Azoospermia factor یا AZF) شناخته می‌شوند. این سه ناحیه با عناوین ‌AZFa، AZFb و AZFcبه عنوان ناحیه‌ی اسپرم‌سازی تعیین شده‌اند. در این مطالعه، ارتباط بین تغییرات منطقه‌ی Yq11.223 (DAZ) و ناباروری در مردان بررسی شد. روش‌ها: در این مطالعه از 100 مرد نابارور که به مرکز ناباروری اصفهان مراجعه نموده بودند و همچنین 100 فرد سالم به عنوان شاهد، نمونه‌ی خون تهیه شد. DNA ژنومی ‌از گلبول‌های سفید خون استخراج شد. پرایمرها با کمک موتورهای جستجوگر و نرم‌افزار Oligo نسخه‌ی 6 طراحی گردید. بررسی‌ها در بیماران با استفاده‌ی از تکنیک واکنش زنجیره‌ای پلیمراز (Polymerase chain reaction یا PCR) در منطقه‌ی Yq11.223 ناحیه‌ی AZF انجام گرفت. یافته‌ها: در این مطالعه 70 بیمار آزوسپرم و 30 بیمار الیگواسپرم مورد بررسی قرار گرفتند که در 7 بیمار آزوسپرم این حذف‌ها مشاهده گردید، در حالی که در افراد الیگواسپرم و 100 مرد باروری که به عنوان شاهد استفاده شدند هیچ حذفی مشاهده نشد. همچنین در چندین فرد آزوسپرم تغییر در شدت باندها نیز مشاهده گردید. نتیجه‌گیری: نتایج این مطالعه نقش DAZ را در فرایند‌ اسپرم‎سازی مردان را تأیید کرد.

Objective: The clavulanic acid regulatory gene (claR) is in the clavulanic acid biosyntheticgene cluster that encodes ClaR. This protein is a putative regulator of the late steps ofclavulanic acid biosynthesis. The aim of this research is the molecular cloning of claR,isolated from the Iranian strain of Streptomyces clavuligerus (S. clavuligerus).Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, two different strains of S. clavuligeruswere used (PTCC 1705 and DSM 738), of which there is no claR sequence record forstrain PTCC 1705 in all three main gene banks. The specific designed primers were subjectedto a few base modifications for introduction of the recognition sites of BamHI andClaI. The claR gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using DNA isolatedfrom S. clavuligerus PTCC 1705. Nested-PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP), and sequencing were used for molecular analysis of the claR gene.The confirmed claR was subjected to double digestion with BamHI and ClaI. The cut claRwas ligated into a pBluescript (pBs) vector and transformed into E. coli.Results: The entire sequence of the isolated claR (Iranian strain) was identified. Thepresence of the recombinant vector in the transformed colonies was confirmed by thecolony-PCR procedure. The correct structure of the recombinant vector, isolated from thetransformed E. coli, was confirmed using gel electrophoresis, PCR, and double digestionwith restriction enzymes.Conclusion: The constructed recombinant cassette, named pZSclaR, can be regardedas an appropriate tool for site directed mutagenesis and sub-cloning. At this time, claRhas been cloned accompanied with its precisely selected promoter so it could be used inexpression vectors. Hence the ClaR is known as a putative regulatory protein. The overproducedprotein could also be used for other related investigations, such as a mobilityshift assay.