Identification and validation of stage-specific reference genes for gene expression analysis in Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

In light of a number of recent studies highlighting the increasing research interest in bruchids, it is crucial to validate suitable reference genes that could be used in quantitative gene expression studies. Callosobruchus maculatus is a serious pest of stored grains and field legumes in which reference genes have not been assessed and validated to date. The present study aimed to identify and validate reference genes in different developmental stages of C. maculatus shortlisted from commonly used reference genes such as VATPase, TRIP12, TBP, TF11D, ACTIN, GST, ANNEXIN, PTCD3, RPL32, and β -Tub in various insects. Dedicated algorithms like GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper were used to analyze the stability of these candidate genes, which revealed GST for third instar, ANNEXIN and PTCD3 for the fourth instar, TF11D and VATPase for male pupa, RPL32 and β-tub for female pupa, β-tub and TBP for adult male and VATPase and GST for adult females as suitable reference genes for expression studies in C. maculatus. The final comprehensive ranking using RefFinder identified GST and TBP as the best reference genes for all the developmental stages of C. maculatus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report which evaluates and validates stable reference genes in C. maculatus. The information of stage-specific gene expression, generated in this study will be useful for future molecular, physiological, and biochemical studies on C. maculatus and other closely related bruchids.     

Selection of optimal reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies of boar spermatozoa cryopreservation

Reference genes can be used to normalize mRNA levels across different samples for the exact comparison of the mRNA expression level. It is important to select reference genes with high quality for the accurate interpretation of qRT-PCR data. Although several studies have attempted to validate reference genes in pigs, no validation studies have been performed on spermatozoa samples frozen with different cryoprotectants. In this study, 11 commonly used reference genes (ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, RPL4, SDHA, YWHAZ, PPIA, PGK1, S18, and BLM) were investigated in boar spermatozoa frozen with six different cryoprotectants using qRT-PCR. The expression stability of these reference genes in different samples was evaluated using geNorm (qbase^plus software), NormFinder, and BestKeeper. The geNorm results revealed that PGK1, ACTB, and RPL4 exhibit high expression stability in all of the samples, and the NormFinder results indicated that GAPDH is the most stable gene. Furthermore, the BestKeeper results indicated that the three most stable genes are PPIA, GAPDH, and RPL4 and that S18, B2M and BLM are the three least stable genes. There are a number of differences in the ranking order of the reference genes obtained using the different algorithms. In conclusion, GAPDH, RPL4, and PPIA were the three most stable genes in frozen boar spermatozoa, as determined based on the cycle threshold coefficient of variation (Ct CV%) and the comprehensive ranking order, and this finding is consistent with the BestKeeper results     

Selection of appropriate reference genes for gene expression studies by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in cucumber

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) has become one of the most widely used methods for gene expression analysis. However, the expression profile of a target gene may be misinterpreted due to unstable expression of the reference genes under different experimental conditions. Thus, a systematic evaluation of these reference genes is necessary before experiments are performed. In this study, 10 putative reference genes were chosen for identifying expression stability using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper statistical algorithms in 12 different cucumber sample pools, including those from different plant tissues and from plants treated with hormones and abiotic stresses. EF1α and UBI-ep exhibited the most stable expression across all of the tested cucumber samples. In different tissues, in addition to expression of EF1α and UBI-ep, the expression of TUA was also stable and was considered as an appropriate reference gene. Evaluation of samples treated with different hormones revealed that TUA and UBI-ep were the most stably expressed genes. However, for abiotic stress treatments, only EF1α showed a relatively stable expression level. In conclusion, TUA, UBI-ep, and EF1α will be particularly helpful for reliable QRT-PCR data normalization in these types of samples. This study also provides guidelines for selecting different reference genes under different conditions.     

Selection and validation of reference genes for real-time RT-PCR studies in the non-model species Delomys sublineatus, an endemic Brazilian rodent

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) is a sensitive technique for gene expression analysis. A critical factor for creating reliable data in relative quantification is the normalization of the expression data of genes of interest. Therefore the needed normalization factor is calculated out of the expression data of co-amplified genes that are stable expressed in the certain sample material, the so-called reference genes. In this study, we demonstrate the important process of validating potential reference genes using a non-model species. As there are almost no sequences known of the Pallid Atlantic Forest Rat (Delomys sublineatus), a rodent used as indicator species in conservation studies of the endangered Brazilian rainforest, suitable primer sets are more problematic to find than in model species. Out of nine tested primer sets designed for the fully sequenced Mus musculus, five could be used for the establishment of a proper running SYBR-Green assay and validation of their constant expression. qRT-PCR results of 12 cDNAs of Delomys livers were analyzed with three different validation software programs: BestKeeper, NormFinder and geNorm. Our approach showed that out of the five (Sdha, Canx, Pgk1, Actb and Actg1) potential reference genes, the first four should be used for accurate normalization in further relative quantification analyses. Transferring data from close-by model organisms makes high sensitive real-time RT-PCR applicable even to free-ranging non-model organisms. Our approach might be suitable for other non-model organisms.     

孟氏隐唇瓢虫qRT-PCR分析中内参基因的筛选

选择合适的内参基因是qRT-PCR研究的关键。本文以孟氏隐唇瓢虫Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant为研究材料,利用qRT-PCR技术,对孟氏隐唇瓢虫4个候选内参基因Actin、RPS23、GAPDH和β-tubulin的mRNA的表达量进行了分析,并用Ge Norm、Norm Finder和Best Keeper软件分析它们在孟氏隐唇瓢虫不同发育阶段及成虫不同组织中的表达稳定性。结果表明,以成虫不同组织为材料时,综合三种软件分析结果显示4个候选基因表达稳定性平均等级值排名为RPS23(rank=1)β-tubulin(rank=2.3)GAPDH(rank=3)Actin(rank=3.7),以不同发育时期虫体为材料时,综合分析结果显示4个候选内参基因表达稳定性平均等级值排名为RPS23(rank=1.7)Actin(rank=2)GAPDH(rank=2.7)β-tubulin(rank=3.7)。综合分析在瓢虫不同发育阶段及成虫不同组织两种处理下,三种软件的评价效果,4个候选基因表达稳定性等级值的总平均排名为RPS23(rank=1.3)Actin(rank=2.8)=GAPDH(rank=2.8)β-tubulin(rank=3)。RPS23在瓢虫不同发育阶段及成虫不同组织中均显示出较高的表达稳定性及与其它基因之间极大的相关性,可以确定为孟氏隐唇虫不同发育阶段及成虫不同组织基因表达分析中一个稳定表达的基因,可作为单个内参基因或者其它内参基因的协同基因,本实验为开展孟氏隐唇瓢虫功能基因表达分析奠定了方法学基础。     

黄花大苞姜花药发育qRT-PCR内参基因筛选

qRT-PCR技术具有定量准确、灵敏度高、重复性好等特点,被广泛用于基因表达分析。内参基因的稳定性对于准确分析实验结果非常重要。该研究以黄花大苞姜(Caulokaempferia coenobialis)花粉母细胞时期(PMC)、四分体时期(TET)、成熟花粉时期(MP)的花药组织为材料,基于3个阶段花药转录组表达谱数据以及常用传统内参基因,筛选出Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH)、Malate dehydrogenase(MDH)、α-tubulin3(TUA3)、β-tubulin7(TUB7)和Actin6(ACT6)作为候选内参基因,进行qRT-PCR分析;并运用BestKeeper、geNorm和Normfinder软件综合分析5个候选内参基因在黄花大苞姜花药发育过程中的表达稳定性。结果表明:MDH和TUB7的表达最稳定,ACT6的稳定性最差;分别以MDH和TUB7作为内参,分析GBE1在黄花大苞姜花药发育中的表达模式,并与该基因在花药转录组中的表达模式做相关系数分析,3种表达模式结果一致,进一步验证了MDH和TUB7的表达稳定性。这说明MDH和TUB7适合作为qRTPCR分析黄花大苞姜花药发育过程中相关基因表达模式的内参基因。该研究结果为黄花大苞姜花药发育分子机制相关研究奠定了基础,也为姜科花药发育相关内参基因的选择提供了参考。