Validation of reference genes for gene expression studies in the honey bee,Apis mellifera, by quantitative real-time RT-PCR

Gene expression analysis provides important clues regarding gene functions, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is a widely used method in gene expression studies. Reference genes are essential for normalizing and accurately assessing gene expression. In the present study, 16 candidate reference genes (ACTB, CyPA, EF1-α, GAPDH, HSP90, NDPk, RPL13a, RPL18, RPL19, RPL32, RPL4, RPL8, RPS13, RPS4, α-TUB, and β-TUB) from Plutella xylostella were selected to evaluate gene expression stability across different experimental conditions using five statistical algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, Delta Ct, BestKeeper, and RefFinder). The results suggest that different reference genes or combinations of reference genes are suitable for normalization in gene expression studies of P. xylostella according to the different developmental stages, strains, tissues, and insecticide treatments. Based on the given experimental sets, the most stable reference genes were RPS4 across different developmental stages, RPL8 across different strains and tissues, and EF1-α across different insecticide treatments. A comprehensive and systematic assessment of potential reference genes for gene expression normalization is essential for post-genomic functional research in P. xylostella, a notorious pest with worldwide distribution and a high capacity to adapt and develop resistance to insecticides.

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Selection and validation of reference genes for quantitative gene expression analyses in persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) using real-time quantitative PCR

Biologia Futura ◽

10.1556/019.70.2019.24 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 70 (4) ◽

pp. 261-267

Author(s):

Gaigai Du ◽

Liyuan Wang ◽

Huawei Li ◽

Peng Sun ◽

Jianmin Fu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Real Time ◽

Reference Gene ◽

Reference Genes ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Suitable Reference Gene ◽

Diospyros Kaki ◽

Stable Gene ◽

Expression Studies ◽

Gene Expression Studies

Background and aims Persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is an economically important fruit tree species with complex flowering characteristics. To obtain accurate expression pattern analysis results, it is vital to select a reliable gene for the normalization of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction data. The aim of this study was to identify the optimal internal control gene among six candidate genes for gene expression analysis in different persimmon organs and developmental stages. Materials and methods This analysis was conducted using geNorm and NormFinder software to show differences in the stability of the six reference genes among tissues and floral developmental stages of the same plant. Results Although genes that exhibited moderate expression in NormFinder revealed slightly different expression stabilities than those obtained by geNorm, both sets of results showed that GAPDH was the best reference gene in different organs and floral buds at different developmental stages, whereas 18SrRNA was the least stable gene. Conclusions Based on the overall ranking, GAPDH is the most suitable reference gene and is highly recommended for gene expression studies in different organs and different developmental stages of persimmon. This study provides useful reference data for future gene expression studies and will contribute to improving the accuracy of gene expression results in persimmon.

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