2.3. Reverse-transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Reverse transcription was performed using RevertAid™ H
Minus First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (Thermos Scientific Inc.)
using Oligo (dT)18 primer according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Polymerase chain reactions were subsequently performed on the
resulting cDNA using gene-specific primers (Table 1) and highfidelity
pfu DNA polymerase (Thermo Scientific Inc.). Sm14 was
PCR-amplified using primers 1 and 2 while a truncated Sm29 (designated
TrSm29) was amplified using primers 3 and 4. TrSm29 is
composed of amino acids 27–169 of the native Sm29. The resulting
PCR products were used as templates for another round of PCR
amplification using primers with flanking restriction sites to
enable cloning in pQE31 plasmid. Briefly, Sm14 was amplified
using primers 5 and 6 while TrSm29 was amplified using primers
7 and 8 (Table 1). Sm14 PCR product was purified by GeneJET™
Gel Extraction Kit (Thermo Scientific Inc.) while TrSm29 was
purified by GeneJET™ PCR purification Kit (Thermo Scientific Inc.).