Ammar Elakhdar
December, 2015
Analysis of Gene Expression Using RT-PCR
what is PCR?
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/anisamples/molecularbiology/pcr.html
Polymerase Chain Reaction
DNA Denatures at 94°C
Primers anneal to single
stranded DNA ~55°C
Thermostable TAQ
polymerase extends
primers at ~72°C
5’3’
5’ 3’
Target DNA is doubled.
Cycle is then repeated.
Target DNA
How was PCR discovered?
PCR originates from DNA
sequencing. So, lets first
review DNA sequencing.
Primer
3’
5’
5’
3’
Primer Anneals &
DNA Polymerase Adds
Deoxynucleoside triphosphates
37°C
Extension
New DNA strand
is created
Sequencing is performed by DNA replication
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
TACGTACGTACG
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
3’
DNA
Pol.
TACGTACGTACG????????????????????????????????
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
3’
DNA
Pol.
dNTPs (or bases) are being added, but
we do not know the sequence.
What if DNA extension could be terminated
at a known nucleotide using a mixture of
normal bases and termination bases
TACGTACGTACGTGT
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
DNA
Pol.
A
TACGTACGTACGTGT CG
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
A
DNA
Pol.
A
Normal base gets
incorporated
By probability termination will occur
at every “A”
dATP
dGTP
dCTP
dTTP+
dATP
dGTP
dCTP+
dTTP
dATP
dGTP+
dCTP
dTTP
dATP+
dGTP
dCTP
dTTP
A
T
G
C
DNA
What if four reactions were set up to
stop at each nucleotide?
TACGTACGTACG
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
DNAPol.
T
TACGTACGTACG G
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
T
DNAPol.
T
Normal base gets
incorporated
TACGTACGTACGT
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
DNAPol.
G
TACGTACGTACGT TAC
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
G
DNAPol.
G
Normal base gets
incorporated
TACGTACGTACGTGTA
ATGCATGCATGC????????????????????????????????????
3’ 5’
5’
Primer
DNAPol.
C
ATACGTACGTACG???5’
TACGTACGTACG??????5’ A
TACGTACGTACG???????5’
TACGTACGTACG?????5’ G
GTACGTACGTACG?5’
TACGTACGTACG???????5’
CTACGTACGTACG????5’
TACGTACGTACG???????5’
TACGTACGTACG??5’ T
TTACGTACGTACG5’
TACGTACGTACG???????5’
ATACGTACGTACG???5’
TACGTACGTACG??????5’ A
TACGTACGTACG?????5’ G
GTACGTACGTACG?5’
TACGTACGTACG??5’ T
TTACGTACGTACG5’
CTACGTACGTACG????5’
TACGTACGTACG???????5’
5’
3’
Chain-termination provides
sequence!
dATP
dGTP
dCTP
dTTP+ ddTTP
dATP
dGTP
dCTP+ ddCTP
dTTP
dATP
dGTP + ddGTP
dCTP
dTTP
dATP + ddATP
dGTP
dCTP
dTTP
What causes chain termination?
Dideoxynucleoside Triphosphates
Deoxynucleoside triphosphates
Deoxy adenosine triphosphate (dATP)
Deoxy guanosine triphosphate (dGTP)
Deoxy thymidine triphosphate (dTTP)
Deoxy cytidine triphosphate (dCTP)
Chain
Termination
3’
5’
DNA
Polymerase
Lacks a 3’ hydroxyl group.
Acts as a terminator because,
once incorporated, no other
nucelotide can be added.
X3’
5’
DNA
Polymerase
Dideoxynucleoside triphosphates
Dideoxy adenosine triphosphate (ddATP)
Dideoxy guanosine triphosphate (ddGTP)
Dideoxy thymidine triphosphate (ddTTP)
Dideoxy cytidine triphosphate (ddCTP)
Chain
Extension
PhD 1943
Cambridge University
Nobel Prize In Chemistry 1958
Amino acid sequence of insulin
Nobel Prize In Chemistry 1980
Sequenced the first genome, phage Φ-X174, by hand
using a method that he developed.Frederick Sanger
The Sanger Dideoxy sequencing method
was the foundation for the discovery of
PCR.
http://smcg.cifn.unam.mx/enp-unam/03-EstructuraDelGenoma/animaciones/secuencia.swf
Dideoxy sequencing, one more time.
Ok, but what is the connection
between DNA sequencing and
PCR?
1983
Emeryville, California
Cetus Corporation
Henry Erlich was working on methods
for detecting point mutations.
5’-TACGTACGTACGA
*GGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
A?
T?
G?
C?
Why not do Sanger
sequencing at a single
base pair?
Kary B. Mullis
5’-TACGTACGTACGA
*GGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’+
ddTTP ddCTPddGTPddATP
First step to a Nobel Prize:
As you think, ignore obvious
problems.
Kary wanted to use total genomic DNA, but he
forgot the primer would likely mis-pair and ruin
his experiment. In “misguided puttering”, Kary
kept thinking!
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
Kary and girlfriend chemist
Jennifer BarnettMendocino County
What if I use two
primers for
confirmation?
+
ddTTP ddCTPddGTPddATP
3’-ATGCATGCATGCT
*CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
5’-GAATTCTACGTACGTACGAF-long
5’-TACGTACGTACGA
*GGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
R-short
+
ddTTP ddCTPddGTPddATP
3’-ATGCATGCATGCTACCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
5’-GAATTCTACGTACGTACGATF-long
5’-TACGTACGTACGATGGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
ACCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’ R-short
F-long
R-short
What about stray
nucleotide
triphosphates?
+
ddTTP ddCTPddGTPddATP
3’-ATGCATGCATGCT
*CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
5’-GAATTCTACGTACGTACGAF-long
5’-TACGTACGTACGA
*GGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
R-short
dNTP
dNTP
I can destroy stray
dNTPs with alkaline
phosphatase!
But, bacterial alkaline phosphatase
will remain because it cannot
be heat killed. It will destroy the
ddNTP’s (not true).
Second step to a Nobel Prize:
Make up problems that
do not exist and try
to solve them.
I can deplete nucleotides
by adding polymerase
first without ddNTP’s
3’-ATGCATGCATGCT
*CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
5’-GAATTCTACGTACGTACGAF-long
5’-TACGTACGTACGA
*GGAGTCCGGAATG-3’
CCTCAGGCCTTAC-5’
R-short
dNTP
dNTP
Denature and anneal primers
Polymerase extension
DNA replicated!
Anderson Valley
Third step to a Nobel Prize.
Recognize PCR when
you find it.
1 Copy
2 Copies!
NOBEL PRIZE!
…..not so fast
Final step to a Nobel Prize:
Try to get someone
to listen to you.
“…no one was particularly enthusiastic about it.”
1984 annual Cetus Scientific Meeting…..”nobody
seemed to be interested in my poster….” “People would
glance at it and keep walking.”
At first, people did not get it.
Then Joshua Lederberg (also a Nobel
Laureate) said:
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
1993 Nobel Prize
So, how is PCR important to your life,
right now?
Many SNP’s are associated with
disease. Do you have a risk allele?
Let’s set up a PCR reaction
and find out!
Loci for Type 2 Diabetes and Triglyceride Levels
GCAGCTCACCTCCAGCTTTAGTTTTC[C/T]CATGACAGTAAGTCTATTACCCTCC
Risk allele
First, you need to select primers for PCR
• No, you do not need a computer program to select
primers.
• I prefer 24 bp long and end on G or C
• Others prefer 20 bp long and end on A or T
• Try to have at least 50% G’s +C’s to ensure
reasonable annealing temperature
That’s about it. Do not waste too much time selecting
primers.
Forward Primer Selection
TAAATTCTTTGGAACAGGGGCATGGATTATAAAAGATGTAAGATAATAAAAAGCATTTGTATTTGACT
TTGGAATGTATTGTACTTACATTTGTCTAGAGGTGTGTCTATTCTGGCTATTCTCTTTAAAGGAGCCA
TTCTATCGTGAACAGATCCTGTTGGAGCTGTTTTCTTGTTCTACCAACCTTCAGCCACCTCTCTGTCT
TTCATATTACTTATTGGCAGGGTTTCAAAAGGTTTTAGTCCTTACTTAATATAAACAAAAATGTACAA
TATTGACAAAGTTTCAGTTAAGCAGATGAAATTCTAAGAGTTAAGCTGGGATTTTCCAAAATAATCCT
GTTAACAGACTTGAAAGCACTTATCAGTTCTGTCTAATGAAGACATTAGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGG
CCCATTTTCTTTGTCAATAAGCGTTCTTGCCCTGTCAGCAGCTCACCTCCAGCTTTAGTTTTCXCATG
ACAGTAAGTCTATTACCCTCCTGATCTGTCTTCTGGCTCCTCCTACCCAGGATGGGGAAGGTTTTTGA
CTTTACTGATATTCTCAGAACAAATTTTGGGAAGTAAATATAAGGTTTTCCAGTCGGGTGCAGTGGCT
CACGCCTATGATCCCAGCGCTTTGGGAAACCAAGGTGGGTGGATCACCTGAGGTCAGGAGTTTGAGAC
CAGCTTGGCCAATAAGGTGAAACCCCATCTCTACAAAAATTAGTTGGGCGTGGTGGCGGCACCTGTAA
ATCCAGCTACTCAGGAGGCTGAGGCAAGAGGATTGCTTGAATCTGGGAGCCGGAGGTTGAAGTGAACT
GAGATTGGGCCACTGCATTCTAGCCTGGGCGACAAGAGTGAAGCTCCATCTCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG
ATGAGGTTTTCCTTAAGAGCACTAACCTAGTATACTGCACAGGTGCCTGTATTCATGCATCCCACACA
GAAAGAGAAAATACTTGTCTGAACTTGTCCATAAATTCAGAATCCTGCCCCTTAAC
Forward Primer: 5’-AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGGCCC-3’
TAAATTCTTTGGAACAGGGGCATGGATTATAAAAGATGTAAGATAATAAAAAGCATTTGTATTTGACT
TTGGAATGTATTGTACTTACATTTGTCTAGAGGTGTGTCTATTCTGGCTATTCTCTTTAAAGGAGCCA
TTCTATCGTGAACAGATCCTGTTGGAGCTGTTTTCTTGTTCTACCAACCTTCAGCCACCTCTCTGTCT
TTCATATTACTTATTGGCAGGGTTTCAAAAGGTTTTAGTCCTTACTTAATATAAACAAAAATGTACAA
TATTGACAAAGTTTCAGTTAAGCAGATGAAATTCTAAGAGTTAAGCTGGGATTTTCCAAAATAATCCT
GTTAACAGACTTGAAAGCACTTATCAGTTCTGTCTAATGAAGACATTAGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGG
CCCATTTTCTTTGTCAATAAGCGTTCTTGCCCTGTCAGCAGCTCACCTCCAGCTTTAGTTTTCXCATG
ACAGTAAGTCTATTACCCTCCTGATCTGTCTTCTGGCTCCTCCTACCCAGGATGGGGAAGGTTTTTGA
CTTTACTGATATTCTCAGAACAAATTTTGGGAAGTAAATATAAGGTTTTCCAGTCGGGTGCAGTGGCT
CACGCCTATGATCCCAGCGCTTTGGGAAACCAAGGTGGGTGGATCACCTGAGGTCAGGAGTTTGAGAC
CAGCTTGGCCAATAAGGTGAAACCCCATCTCTACAAAAATTAGTTGGGCGTGGTGGCGGCACCTGTAA
ATCCAGCTACTCAGGAGGCTGAGGCAAGAGGATTGCTTGAATCTGGGAGCCGGAGGTTGAAGTGAACT
GAGATTGGGCCACTGCATTCTAGCCTGGGCGACAAGAGTGAAGCTCCATCTCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG
ATGAGGTTTTCCTTAAGAGCACTAACCTAGTATACTGCACAGGTGCCTGTATTCATGCATCCCACACA
GAAAGAGAAAATACTTGTCTGAACTTGTCCATAAATTCAGAATCCTGCCCCTTAAC
Reverse Primer Selection
Reverse Primer: 5’-GCGTGAGCCACTGCACCCGACTGG-3’
AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGGCCCATTTTCTTTGTCAATAAGCGTTCTTGCCCTG
TCAGCAGCTCACCTCCAGCTTTAGTTTTCXCATGACAGTAAGTCTATTACCCTCC
TGATCTGTCTTCTGGCTCCTCCTACCCAGGATGGGGAAGGTTTTTGACTTTACTG
ATATTCTCAGAACAAATTTTGGGAAGTAAATATAAGGTTTTCCAGTCGGGTGCAG
TGGCTCACGC
Amplified Fragment Will Be 230bp
Forward Primer: 5’-AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGGCCC-3’
Reverse Primer: 5’-GCGTGAGCCACTGCACCCGACTGG-3’
TAAATTCTTTGGAACAGGGGCATGGATTATAAAAGATGTAAGATAATAAAAAGCATTTGTATTTGACT
TTGGAATGTATTGTACTTACATTTGTCTAGAGGTGTGTCTATTCTGGCTATTCTCTTTAAAGGAGCCA
TTCTATCGTGAACAGATCCTGTTGGAGCTGTTTTCTTGTTCTACCAACCTTCAGCCACCTCTCTGTCT
TTCATATTACTTATTGGCAGGGTTTCAAAAGGTTTTAGTCCTTACTTAATATAAACAAAAATGTACAA
TATTGACAAAGTTTCAGTTAAGCAGATGAAATTCTAAGAGTTAAGCTGGGATTTTCCAAAATAATCCT
GTTAACAGACTTGAAAGCACTTATCAGTTCTGTCTAATGAAGACATTAGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGG
CCCATTTTCTTTGTCAATAAGCGTTCTTGCCCTGTCAGCAGCTCACCTCCAGCTTTAGTTTTCXCATG
ACAGTAAGTCTATTACCCTCCTGATCTGTCTTCTGGCTCCTCCTACCCAGGATGGGGAAGGTTTTTGA
CTTTACTGATATTCTCAGAACAAATTTTGGGAAGTAAATATAAGGTTTTCCAGTCGGGTGCAGTGGCT
CACGCCTATGATCCCAGCGCTTTGGGAAACCAAGGTGGGTGGATCACCTGAGGTCAGGAGTTTGAGAC
CAGCTTGGCCAATAAGGTGAAACCCCATCTCTACAAAAATTAGTTGGGCGTGGTGGCGGCACCTGTAA
ATCCAGCTACTCAGGAGGCTGAGGCAAGAGGATTGCTTGAATCTGGGAGCCGGAGGTTGAAGTGAACT
GAGATTGGGCCACTGCATTCTAGCCTGGGCGACAAGAGTGAAGCTCCATCTCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG
ATGAGGTTTTCCTTAAGAGCACTAACCTAGTATACTGCACAGGTGCCTGTATTCATGCATCCCACACA
GAAAGAGAAAATACTTGTCTGAACTTGTCCATAAATTCAGAATCCTGCCCCTTAAC
5’-AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGG
CCC-3’
Forward Primer: 5’-AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGGCCC-3’
Before ordering: Imagine the primers annealing to the DNA
Reverse Primer: 5’-GCGTGAGCCACTGCACCCGACTGG-3’
AGCCACTGCACCCGACTGG-3’
ReversePrimer:5’-GCGTG
Order From IDT
Forward Primer: 5’-AGAACACCATAACCTTTCCGGCCC-3’
Reverse Primer: 5’-GCGTGAGCCACTGCACCCGACTGG-3’
Start
Finish
H20 28.25μl
10XPCR Buffer 5.0μl
25mM MgCl2 3.0μl
4mM dNTP’s 2.5μl
10pmol Forward Primer 5.0μl (10pmol)
10pmol Reverse Primer 5.0μl (10pmol)
Template DNA >104
copies of target sequence (1.0μl)
TAQ Polymerase 0.25μl (5u/μl)
PCR Components
Use thin-wall
PCR tubes
Use thin-wall tubes designed for PCR
Old School “Perkin Elmer 2400” PCR Thermocycler
Hot bonnet prevents condensation.
Mineral Oil
Sample
If your thermocycler does not have a hot bonnet
or if you will need to open the hot bonnet to
remove or modify a reaction, use mineral
oil.
Runs on antifreeze and refrigerant
Paper towels to adsorb leaking
orange-colored antifreeze.
Antifreeze
R134a frigerant
Radiator &
fan
New Thermocyclers = Peltier Cooling & Gradient Blocks
Peltier effect
It occurs when a current is passed through two
dissimilar metals or semiconductors (n-type and p-
type) that are connected to each other at two
junctions (Peltier junctions). The current drives a
transfer of heat from one junction to the other: one
junction cools off while the other heats up; as a
result, the effect is often used for thermoelectric
cooling. This effect was observed in 1834 by
Jean Peltier.
A typical PCR thermocycling program
55°C
62°C
61°C
60°C
59°C
58°C
57°C
56°C
Gradient thermocyclers allow for optimization
of the annealing temperature
What is RT-PCR?
Reverse Transcription-
Polymerase Chain Reaction
RT-PCR is like any other PCR except
it uses cDNA as a template.
How do you make cDNA?
cDNA can be created
from RNA using
RNA-dependent DNA
polymerase
(reverse transcriptase)
How do you make cDNA?
mRNA AAAAAAAAAAAA5’- -3’
TTTTTTTTTTTT-5’
mRNA AAAAAAAAAAAA5’- -3’
TTTTTTTTTTTT-5’cDNA
Reverse transcriptase Oligo (dT) Primer
Template For PCR
3’-
3’-
RT-PCR measures the presence
of cDNA corresponding to
its respective RNA.
RT-PCR is, therefore, used to indirectly
estimate RNA abundance which
MAY indicate the level of gene expression.
Major Points
• Sequencing and PCR both use DNA polymerase and
replicate DNA (PCR uses TAQ DNA polymerase).
• Kary Mullis discovered PCR while thinking about
a possible dideoxy sequencing experiment.
• Half of a Nobel discovery is finding it, the other half is
realizing what you have found.
• RT-PCR is used to estimate gene expression

Analysis of gene expression using rt pcr