Application of cDNA arrays to monitor mRNA profiles in single preimplantation mouse embryos

Array technology is a widely used tool for gene expression profiling in various biological systems. However, the application of this method to mammalian preimplantation embryos is limited by the small amount of mRNA that can be extracted from a single embryo, which is not sufficient for array analysis. Here we report a protocolfor the rapid global amplification of embryonic mRNA that permits the generation of expression profiles from single murine blastocysts. The approach combines global PCR and 77 RNA polymerase amplification and allows the preparation of labeled, amplified RNA for array hybridization from single murine blastocysts containing approximately 1.5 pg mRNA in less than 12 h. We demonstrate that this amplification procedure is highly reproducible and does not bias original relative mRNA levels. Signal patterns from various embryonic stages of murine development revealed marked differences in mRNA expression that were in accordance with previously published data. We found genes known to be involved in embryonic apoptosis expressed at different levels in individual murine day 3.5 blastocysts. This technique can thus be used to assess embryonic viability and investigate molecular mechanisms of embryonic development.     

Gene expression in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos: use of suppression subtractive hybridization to identify oocyte- and embryo-specific genes

The paucity of biological material has inhibited identifying genes that are differentially expressed during mammalian oogenesis and preimplantation development. We report here the linear amplification of mRNA from small numbers of mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos to generate amounts of sense RNA that are sufficient for suppression subtractive hybridization. The resulting oocyte-specific and 8-cell-specific cDNA libraries were partially characterized, and the known oocyte-specific ZP1, ZP2, GDF-9, BMP15, and H1(oo) genes were found in the oocyte-specific cDNA library but not in the 8-cell-specific library. Further characterization of the subtracted oocyte and 8-cell embryo cDNA libraries should furnish a trove of information regarding temporal changes in gene expression during oogenesis and preimplantation development in the mouse.     

Peptidylpropyl isomerase B (PPIB): a suitable reference gene for mRNA quantification in peripheral whole blood

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR is a very powerful technique for measuring gene expression at the mRNA level. In order to compare mRNA expression in different experimental or clinical conditions, expression of a target gene has to be normalized to an appropriate internal standard, which is generally a housekeeping gene. In our study, we have tested several housekeeping genes in peripheral whole blood of healthy volunteers and patients suffering from inflammatory diseases. A first analysis of 91 samples illustrated that the mRNA expression of peptidylpropyl isomerase B (PPIB) encoding for cyclophilin B protein, is more stable than beta actin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which are both commonly selected as internal standard. Among the three genes tested, beta actin displayed the highest inter-sample variation of expression. The constancy of PPIB mRNA expression was further confirmed by 214 additional samples. In conclusion, we showed that PPIB, in contrast to beta actin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, is a suitable housekeeping gene in human peripheral blood.     

Comparison of in vitro and in vivo reference genes for internal standardization of real-time PCR data

Real-time PCR is a powerful technique for gene expression studies, which have become increasingly important in a large number of clinical and scientific fields. The significance of the obtained results strongly depends on the normalization of the data to compensate for differences between the samples. The most widely used approach is to use endogenous reference genes (housekeeping genes) as internal standards. This approach is controversially discussed in the literature because none of the reference genes is stably expressed throughout all biological samples. Therefore, candidate reference genes have to be validated for each experimental condition. In our studies, we introduced and evaluated an in vitro synthesized reference cRNA for internal standardization of relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expression patterns. This reference, consisting of the in vitro transcribed coding sequence of aequorin, a jellyfish protein, was incorporated in the extracted RNA. The experimental significance of this approach was representatively tested for the expression of the neurotrophin-3 mRNA in distinct regions of mouse brains. A comparison to three stably expressed reference genes [beta-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase 1 (HPRT1)] gave evidence that the spiking of template RNA with in vitro transcribed cRNA is a valuable tool for internal standardization of real-time PCR experiments.     

用DDRT-PCR技术克隆小鼠早期胚胎发育相关基因

mRNA差异显示 (DDRT PCR)技术在哺乳动物早期胚胎发育相关基因研究中的应用 ,因获得足够量的早期胚胎材料困难而受到限制 .通过对DDRT PCR技术各种条件参数进行优化组合 ,并对某些环节进行改良 ,以小鼠的MⅡ卵、2 细胞胚胎和 4 细胞胚胎为材料进行差异显示 ,仅以相当于5 0个卵细胞的量为起始材料 ,便得到了理想的差示结果 .从差异条带中挑取感兴趣的差异条带进行回收、阳性鉴定、亚克隆、序列分析、并在反向Northern杂交基础上设计了鉴定实验 .结果发现 ,有一个片段差异显著且是阶段性特异表达 .经GenBank检索 ,发现该片段仅有同源的EST ,其全长及功能尚不清楚 ,是一个功能未知基因 ,将该片段命名为ed1.反向Northern杂交结果表明 ,ed1在 2 细胞期胚胎中有表达 ,而在MⅡ卵及 4 细胞胚胎中均不表达 .     

实时定量PCR构建法夫酵母内参基因β-actin、 gpd、18S rRNA标准品质粒和标准曲线

为建立检测法夫酵母JMU-MVP14中虾青素合成相关基因在不同生长时期表达水平的实时定量PCR方法,构建法夫酵母JMU-MVP14的管家基因β-actin、gpd、18S rRNA的标准质粒,进行实时定量PCR,制作标准曲线及回归方程.β-actin基因标准曲线相关系数（R2）=0.9956,扩增效率（E） =96.93％;gpd基因标准曲线相关系数（R2） =0.9901,扩增效率（E） =93.78％;18S rRNA基因标准曲线相关系数（R2） =0.9981,扩增效率（E）=98.76％.3个基因片段的熔解曲线均呈单峰;扩增曲线呈典型的S型动力学曲线,指数期和平台期明显,为理想的熔解曲线和扩增曲线.用geNorm软件对三个管家基因的稳定性进行分析,三个基因的稳定性排序为β-actin＞ 18S rRNA＞ gpd,故β-actin和18S rRNA较适合作为研究法夫酵母JMU-MVP14定量实验的内参基因.     

Advantages of mRNA amplification for microarray analysis

Expanding applications of cDNA microarrays such as fine needle aspiration biopsy and laser capture microdissection necessitate the ability to perform arrays with minute starting amounts of RNA. While methods for amplifying RNA have been advocated, the fidelity of array results using amplified material has not been fully validated. Here we demonstrate preserved fidelity in arrays using one or two rounds of mRNA amplification, validated by downstream real-time quantitative PCR. In addition, the quality of the array data was superior to that obtained using total RNA. Based on these results, we recommend routine mRNA amplification for all cDNA microarray-based analysis of gene expression.     

SELECTION OF INTERNAL CONTROL GENE FOR EXPRESSION STUDIES IN PORPHYRA HAITANENSIS (RHODOPHYTA) AT DIFFERENT LIFE‐HISTORY STAGES1

Accurate gene quantification depends on the use of an appropriate internal control gene, which should be verified before its use for normalizing data. Housekeeping genes, which are expressed at relatively constant levels, are generally regarded as candidate internal control genes. To determine the ideal internal control for gene expression profiles for Porphyra haitanensis T. J. Chang et B. F. Zheng (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) at different life‐history stages, we used absolute quantification to assess the expression levels of six housekeeping genes (18S ribosomal RNA, 30S ribosomal protein, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, elongation factor 3, alpha‐tubulin, and beta‐tubulin) at the sporophyte and gametophyte stages. Housekeeping genes were selected by comparing the differences of observed copy numbers in sporophytes and in gametophytes. TubB (beta‐tubulin) was found to be the optimal internal control gene, because it showed the smallest difference of gene expression. Compared with TubB, other housekeeping genes had greater variation of expression to different degrees.     

Self-renewal vs. differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are typically derived from the inner cell mass of the preimplantation blastocyst and can both self-renew and differentiate into all the cells and tissues of the embryo. Because they are pluripotent, ES cells have been used extensively to analyze gene function in development via gene targeting. The embryonic stem cell is also an unsurpassed starting material to begin to understand a critical, largely inaccessible period of development. If their differentiation could be controlled, they would also be an important source of cells for transplantation to replace cells lost through disease or injury or to replace missing hormones or genes. Traditionally, ES cells have been differentiated in suspension culture as embryoid bodies, named because of their similarity to the early postimplantation-staged embryo. Unlike the pristine organization of the early embryo, differentiation in embryoid bodies appears to be largely unpatterned, although multiple cell types form. It has recently been possible to separate the desired cell types from differentiating ES cells in embryoid bodies by using cell-type-restricted promoters driving expression of either antibiotic resistance genes or fluorophores such as EGFP. In combination with growth factor exposure, highly differentiated cell types have successfully been derived from ES cells. Recent technological advances such as RNA interference to knock down gene expression in ES cells are also producing enriched populations of cells and elucidating gene function in early development.