Example of Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription-PCR (Q-RT-PCR) Analysis of Bacterial Gene Expression during Mammalian Infection:Borrelia burgdorferiin Mouse Tissues

2005 ◽  
pp. 1D.3.1-1D.3.28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Miller
1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Gettemy ◽  
Biao Ma ◽  
Margaret Alic ◽  
Michael H. Gold

ABSTRACT Manganese peroxidase (MnP) gene expression in the lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium is regulated by nutrient nitrogen levels and by Mn(II), the substrate for the enzyme, as well as by heat shock and other factors. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) of total RNA can distinguish the mRNAs of each of the three sequencedP. chrysosporium mnp genes, i.e., mnp1,mnp2, and mnp3. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrates that each of the three transcripts is present at a similar low basal level in nitrogen-sufficient cultures, with or without Mn, and in nitrogen-limited cultures lacking Mn. However, in 5-day-old, nitrogen-limited, stationary cultures supplemented with 180 μM Mn, the levels of the mnp1 and mnp2 transcripts increased approximately 100- and 1,700-fold, respectively, over basal levels. In contrast, under these conditions, the level of themnp3 transcript did not increase significantly over the basal level. Quantitative RT-PCR of total RNA extracted from nitrogen-deficient, Mn-supplemented cultures on days 2 through 7 demonstrates that whereas the mnp1 transcript was present at relatively low levels on days 3 through 7, the mnp2transcript level peaked on day 5 and the mnp3 transcript level peaked on day 3. Comparison of total RNA extracted on day 5 from nitrogen-deficient, Mn-supplemented stationary and agitated cultures indicates that in stationary cultures, mnp2 was the major expressed mnp gene, whereas in large agitated cultures,mnp1 was the major expressed mnp gene.


2008 ◽  
Vol 76 (8) ◽  
pp. 3632-3639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrice N. Gravelat ◽  
Thomas Doedt ◽  
Lisa Y. Chiang ◽  
Hong Liu ◽  
Scott G. Filler ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Very little is known about the developmental stages of Aspergillus fumigatus during invasive aspergillosis. We performed real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis on lung samples from mice with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis to determine the expression of A. fumigatus genes that are expressed at specific stages of development. In established infection, A. fumigatus exhibited mRNA expression of genes specific to developmentally competent hyphae, such as stuA. In contrast, mRNA of genes expressed by conidia and precompetent hyphae was not detected. Many genes required for mycotoxin synthesis, including aspHS, gliP, mitF, and metAP, are known to be expressed by developmentally competent hyphae in vitro. Interestingly, each of these genes was expressed at significantly higher levels during invasive infection than in vitro. The expression of gliP mRNA in vitro was found to be highly dependent on culture conditions. Furthermore, gliP expression was found to be dependent on the transcription factor StuA both in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, developmentally competent hyphae predominate during established invasive infection, and many mycotoxin genes are expressed at high levels in vivo. These results highlight the importance of the evaluation of putative virulence factors expressed by competent hyphae and analysis of gene expression levels during invasive infection rather than in vitro alone.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 2949-2954 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Klitgaard Nielsen ◽  
M. Boye

ABSTRACT The aims of the present investigation were to develop and test a sensitive and reproducible method for the study of gene expression in the porcine lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae by real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and to evaluate a number of suitable internal controls, as such controls have not been defined yet for this bacterium. Bacterial gene expression was studied during in vitro exponential and early stationary growth in medium with and without sufficient iron, respectively. First, the stability of expression of five genes, the glyA, tpiA, pykA, recF, and rhoAP genes involved in basic housekeeping, was evaluated on the basis of the mean pairwise variation. All the housekeeping genes included were stably expressed under the conditions investigated and consequently were included in the normalization procedure. Next, the geometric mean of the internal control genes was used to correct five genes of interest. These genes were three genes involved in iron acquisition (tbpA, exbB, and fhuD), the heat shock protein gene groEL, and a putative quorum-sensing gene (luxS). The level of tbpA, exbB, and fhuD expression in A. pleuropneumoniae showed significant up-regulation under iron-restricted conditions compared to bacteria grown in medium with sufficient iron. The observed expression patterns of the genes of interest were consistent with previous observations. This study therefore lends further support to the use of real-time quantitative RT-PCR, with the glyA, tpiA, pykA, recF, and rhoAP genes as internal controls, for future similar gene expression studies in A. pleuropneumoniae.


2003 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora A. Fitzsimons ◽  
Antoon D.L. Akkermans ◽  
Willem M. de Vos ◽  
Elaine E. Vaughan

2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Goerke ◽  
Manfred G. Bayer ◽  
Christiane Wolz

ABSTRACT Bacteria have evolved sophisticated regulatory circuits to modulate their gene expression in response to disparate environments. In order to monitor bacterial gene expression and regulation in the host, methods for direct transcript analysis from clinical specimens are needed. For most bacterial infections, amplification of the mRNAs of interest is necessary due to the low numbers of cells present and the low levels of specific transcripts. Here we compare two methods of quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR)—competitive RT-PCR using a one-tube system followed by standard gel analysis and the real-time detection of PCR product formation by fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology using the LightCycler unit. We isolatedStaphylococcus aureus RNA directly from clinical specimens obtained from cystic fibrosis patients with chronic S. aureus lung infection and from an animal model of foreign-body infection with no further cultivation of the bacteria. Competitive RT-PCR and LightCycler RT-PCR were tested for their ability to quantify the transcription of a constitutively expressed gyrase gene (gyr) and a highly regulated α-toxin gene (hla) of S. aureus. Reproducible results were obtained with both methods. A sensitivity of 104(gyr) and 103 (hla) copies, respectively, was reached, which was sufficient for the quantification of transcripts during bacterial infection. Overall, the competitive RT-PCR is a robust technique which does not need special RNA purification. On the negative side, it is labor intensive and time consuming, thus limiting the numbers of samples which can be analyzed at a given time. LightCycler RT-PCR is very susceptible to even traces of inhibitors, but it allows high-throughput processing of samples.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 436-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Chen ◽  
J. A. Higgins ◽  
M. F. Feldlaufer

ABSTRACT Deformed wing virus (DWV) can cause wing deformity and premature death in adult honeybees, although like many other bee viruses, DWV generally persists as a latent infection with no apparent symptoms. Using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and Southern hybridization, we detected DWV in all life stages of honeybees, including adults with and without deformed wings. We also found DWV in the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, suggesting that this mite may be involved in the transmission of DWV. However, the detection of the virus in life stages not normally associated with mite parasitism (i.e., eggs and larvae) suggests that there are other modes of transmission. The levels of DWV in different life stages of bees were investigated by using TaqMan real-time quantitative RT-PCR. The amounts of virus varied significantly in these different stages, and the highest levels occurred in pupae and in adult worker bees with deformed wings. The variability in virus titer may reflect the different abilities of bees to resist DWV infection and replication. The epidemiology of DWV is discussed, and factors such as mite infestation, malnutrition, and climate are also considered.


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