title: Identification and evaluation of reference genes in the Chinese white wax scale insect Ericerus pela.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Chinese white wax scale insect, Ericerus pela, is a well-known resource insect. The females and males are dramatically distinct at each developmental stage. We sought to identify suitable reference genes to use as internal controls in molecular research on E. plea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  geNorm, RefFinder and Normfinder analyses showed that ßTub-2 was the best reference gene throughout different developmental stages; SdhA-1 was the most stable reference gene in different tissues, and ßTub-1 was the most reliable reference gene under treatment with different temperatures. The results also showed that the optimal number of reference genes for analyzing target gene expression levels in the three experimental conditions was two.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identified reference genes are suitable reference genes for normalization in RT-qPCR of E. pela samples.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Shu-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Xue-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Dong-Li
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Resources Insects, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Key Laboratory of Cultivating and Utilization of Resources Insects of State Forestry Administration, Kunming, 650224 China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Chinese white wax scale insect; Developmental stages; Reference gene; Temperature treatments; Tissues