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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2016, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (9): 831-839.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.16-074

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Increasing the efficiency of homologous recombination vector-mediated end joining repair by inhibition of Lig4 gene using siRNA in sheep embryo fibroblasts

Wei Wang1, 2, Yushuang Wang3, Lanlan Huang1, Zijian Jian2, Xinhua Wang1, Shouren Liu1, Wenhui Pi1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory for Sheep Genetic Improvement and Healthy Production, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Sciences, Shihezi 832000, China;
    2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China;
    3. College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2016-03-03 Online:2016-09-20 Published:2016-09-20
  • Supported by:
    [Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos; 31560321, 31360276) and International Cooperation Program in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (No; 2013BC004)]

Abstract: In animal cells, inhibition of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway improves the efficiency of homologous recombination (HR)-mediated double-strand brakes (DSBs) repair. To improve the efficiency of HR in sheep embryo fibroblasts, the NHEJ key molecule DNA ligase 4 (Lig4) was suppressed by siRNA interference. Four pairs of siRNA targeting Lig4 were designed and chemically synthesized. These siRNA were electro-transferred into sheep embryo fibroblasts respectively. Compared with the control groups, two pairs of siRNA were identified to effectively inhibit the expression of sheep Lig4 gene by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The plasmid rejoining assay was adopted for examining the efficiency of HR-mediated DSB repair. I-SceⅠ endonuclease linearized vector and siRNA were co-transfected into sheep embryo fibroblasts. Flow cytometry analysis of cells after transfection for 72 h showed that suppression of Lig4 using siRNAs increased the rejoining efficiency of HR vector by 3-4 times compared with the control groups. Therefore, enhanced HR vector rejoining frequency by instant inhabition of Lig4 gene provides theoretical basis for improving gene targeting efficiency of sheep embryo fibroblasts.

Key words: small interfering RNA, DNA ligase 4 gene, homologous recombination, sheep embryo fibroblasts