Comparison of gene expression pattern between wild-type and RhoE knockout embryo hearts

RhoE is a small GTPase that regulates actin cytoskeleton organization and cell migration. This analysis aimed at exploring the physiological function of RhoE in heart by means of knockout mouse model. We used microarrays to compare differentital gene expression profiles in wild-type and RhoE knockout embryo hearts. Genetrap strategy was introduced to generate global RhoE knockout mouse. RhoE knockout mice died between E10.5 and E12.5. Three littermate pairs of wild-type and global RhoE knockout mouse embryos were obtained at E10.5. Total RNA was isolated from the embryo heart tissue and used for cDNA preparation. Microarray was performed with the Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Array.RhoE是一种调控肌动蛋白细胞骨架（actin cytoskeleton）组织与细胞迁移（cell migration）的小GTP酶（small GTPase）。本研究旨在通过基因敲除小鼠模型（knockout mouse model）探究RhoE在心脏中的生理功能。我们采用基因微阵列（microarrays）对比野生型与RhoE基因敲除胚胎心脏的差异基因表达谱。本研究通过基因陷阱策略（genetrap strategy）构建全身性RhoE基因敲除小鼠。RhoE基因敲除小鼠于胚胎发育第10.5天（E10.5）至第12.5天（E12.5）期间死亡。我们于E10.5天获取了3对野生型与全身性RhoE基因敲除小鼠胚胎的同窝配对样本。从胚胎心脏组织中提取总RNA并用于cDNA制备。实验采用Affymetrix GeneChip小鼠基因组430 2.0芯片（Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Array）完成基因微阵列检测。