Project description:The high-throughput sequencing has become a standard tool for analyzing gene expression. Usually a cDNA/DNA library is constructed with 5' and 3' linkers and then sequenced. Unlike mRNA, small RNA often contains modifications including 5' cap or triphosphate and 3' methylation, affecting the linker addition during cloning processes. Small RNA is expressed at much lower levels than mRNA, making it more difficult to clone small RNA using a small amount of total RNA. Here we have developed a new strategy to clone modified/unmodified small RNA in an all-liquid-based reaction in a single PCR tube using as little as 20 ng total RNA. The 7-hour cloning process only needs ~1 hour labor time. Moreover, this method can be used to clone mRNA, simplifying the need to prepare two cloning systems for small RNA and mRNA. Since the linkers used are derived from the Illumina Truseq linkers for DNA cloning, the PCR primers based on the linker sequences can be used to obtain amplicons derived from small RNA/mRNA/DNA. Not only is our method more convenient for cloning modified RNA than available methods, but it is also more sensitive, accurate and versatile. Moreover, the all-liquid-based reaction can be performed in an automated manner.
Project description:DNA palindromes are implicated as a causative agent in cancer formation due to their association with genomic instability and DNA amplification. However, the unique properties of palindromes render them refractory to current methods of analyses including PCR amplification and cloning into bacterial vectors.
Project description:Background Transgenic cattle carrying multiple genomic modifications have been produced by sequential gene targeting and serial rounds of somatic cell chromatin transfer (cloning). However, cloning efficiency tends to decline with the increase of rounds of cloning. It is possible that multiple rounds of cloning compromise the genome integrity, rendering a decline in cloning. To test this possibility, we performed 9 high density array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) experiments to test the genome integrity in 3 independent bovine transgenic cell lineages generated from serial rounds of genetic modification and cloning. Our plan included the control hybridizations (self to self) of 3 founder cell lines and 6 comparative hybridizations between these founders and their derived cell lines that are drastically different in cloning efficiency. Results We detected similar amounts of differences between the control hybridizations (8, 13 and 39 differences) and the comparative analyses of both "high" and "low" cloning efficiency cell lines (ranging from 7 to 57 with a mean of ~20). Almost 75% of the large differences (>10 kb) and about 45% of all differences shared the same type (loss or gain) and were located in nearby genomic regions across hybridizations. Therefore, it is likely that they were not true differences but caused by systematic factors associated with local genomic features (e.g. GC contents). Conclusions Our findings reveal that large copy number genomic structural variations are less likely to arise during genetic targeting and serial rounds of cloning, fortifying the notion that epigenetic errors introduced from serial cloning may be responsible for the cloning efficiency decline.
Project description:Size fractionated small RNA from total RNA extracts of Cicer arietinum leaves and from Nicotiana benthamiana infected by Cymbidium ringspot virus were mixed in a ratio of 1000 to 1 in amount, respectively. The RNA was ligated to adapters, purified again and reverse transcribed. After PCR amplification the sample was subjected to Illumina high throughput pyrosequencing. The kit used is TrueSeq Small RNA kit Please see www.illumina.com for details of the sequencing technology.
Project description:IrrE is a unique gene in Deinococcus, which is the switch of DNA repair and celluar surival network. Expressing IrrE enhanced the salt tolence in E. coli. To understand the effect of IrrE to E. coli during salt shock, we constructed the IrrE-expressing plasmid pMG1-IrrE. And pMG1 is the empty vector used as a control. The GroESL promoter was amplified from D. radiodurans R1 genomic DNA by PCR with proper primers. The PCR product was ligated into the T-cloning site of T-vector pMD18T, generating the plasmid pMG1.
Project description:Animal cloning can be achieved through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), yet the success rate is very low. Recent studies have revealed H3K9me3 in donor cells and abnormal Xist activation as epigenetic barriers that impede SCNT reprogramming. Here we overcome both barriers by using Xist knockout donor cells combined with overexpressing Kdm4d and achieved the highest cloning efficiency in mice. However, post-implantation developmental defects and abnormal placenta were still observed, indicating presence of additional epigenetic barriers impedes SCNT cloning. Comparative DNA methylome analysis of IVF and SCNT blastocysts identified many abnormally methylated regions in SCNT embryos, despite successful global methylome reprogramming. Strikingly, allelic transcriptome and ChIP-seq analyses of preimplantation SCNT embryos revealed a complete loss of H3K27me3 imprinting, which likely accounts for postimplantation developmental defects of SCNT embryos. This study not only provides an efficient method for mouse cloning, but also paves the way for further improving SCNT cloning efficiency.