Establishing reference genes for use in real-time quantitative PCR analysis of early equine embryos
Damien B. B. P. Paris A E F , Ewart W. Kuijk B C , Bernard A. J. Roelen A D and Tom A. E. Stout A D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
B Department of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
C Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Upsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
D Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
E Present address: School of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, James Cook University, Solander Drive, Townsville, Qld 4814, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: damien.paris@jcu.edu.au
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 23(2) 353-363 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD10039
Submitted: 3 March 2010 Accepted: 14 August 2010 Published: 4 January 2011
Abstract
Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is invaluable for investigating changes in gene expression during early development, since it can be performed on the limited quantities of mRNA contained in individual embryos. However, the reliability of this method depends on the use of validated stably expressed reference genes for accurate data normalisation. The aim of the present study was to identify and validate a set of reference genes suitable for studying gene expression during equine embryo development. The stable expression of four carefully selected reference genes and one developmentally regulated gene was examined by qPCR in equine in vivo embryos from morula to expanded blastocyst stage. SRP14, RPL4 and PGK1 were identified by geNorm analysis as stably expressed reference genes suitable for data normalisation. RPL13A expression was less stable and changed significantly during the period of development examined, rendering it unsuitable as a reference gene. As anticipated, CDX2 expression increased significantly during embryo development, supporting its possible role in trophectoderm specification in the horse. In summary, it was demonstrated that evidence-based selection of potential reference genes can reduce the number needed to validate stable expression in an experimental system; this is particularly useful when dealing with tissues that yield small amounts of mRNA. SRP14, RPL4 and PGK1 are stable reference genes suitable for normalising expression for genes of interest during in vivo morula to expanded blastocyst development of horse embryos.
Additional keywords: blastocyst, CDX2, horse, housekeeping/control genes, morula, PGK1, qPCR, RPL13A, RPL4, SRP14.
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