ESRE Reporter Lentivirus

Background

The ER stress-response element (ESRE) is a DNA sequence that mediates transcriptional induction during the unfolded protein response (UPR), the cell's adaptive program for restoring endoplasmic reticulum protein-folding capacity. ESRE-driven transcription is controlled by the bZIP transcription factors ATF6 and XBP1. Upon ER stress, ATF6 is cleaved to release an active nuclear fragment, while IRE1-mediated splicing of XBP1 mRNA produces the potent activator XBP1s. Together they induce chaperones and folding enzymes that relieve ER stress. The UPR is central to secretory cell function and is implicated in cancer, metabolic disease, and neurodegeneration, making ESRE-driven reporters valuable for studying protein homeostasis.

Product Description & Applications

The ESRE Reporter Lentivirus is a transcription factor reporter system that places a reporter gene under the control of tandem ER stress-response elements coupled to a minimal promoter, giving a sensitive fluorescent or luminescent readout of ATF6 and XBP1 activity in transduced cells. Reporter options include GFP, RFP, firefly luciferase, and Renilla luciferase, with optional blasticidin or puromycin selection for stable polyclonal cell line generation. Particles are purified by PEG precipitation and sucrose gradient centrifugation and efficiently transduce difficult-to-transfect cells, including primary and thawed cells.

Applications include monitoring the unfolded protein response, studying the IRE1/XBP1 and ATF6 branches of ER stress signaling, and screening modulators of protein homeostasis.

About This Product

This reporter lentivirus places a Firefly Luc, GFP, Luc, Renilla Luc, RFP reporter gene under the control of tandem consensus response elements specific for the ER stress response transcription factor, coupled to a minimal TATA-box promoter and a proprietary upstream enhancer that maximizes signal-to-noise. The constitutively expressed selection marker (Blasticidin, Puromycin) and/or secondary reporter enables stable polyclonal cell line generation and flexible readout by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, or luminometry.

Stable integration via the lentiviral backbone ensures consistent, clonally representative reporter expression in dividing and post-mitotic target cells — including primary T cells, macrophages, organoids, and cryopreserved material — eliminating the variability inherent to transient transfection. The self-inactivating LTR design and third-generation packaging minimize insertional mutagenesis risk and ensure biosafety classification at BSL-2.