RNA-Seq of zebrafish: adult male and female heart
The sequencing library was created according to TruSeq Stranded mRNA Sample Preparation Guide of Illimina. Simply, the first step in the workflow involves purifying the poly-A containing mRNA molecules using poly-T oligo attached magnetic beads. Following purification, the mRNA is fragmented into small pieces using divalent cations under elevated temperature. The cleaved RNA fragments are copied into first strand cDNA using reverse transcriptase and random primers. Strand specificity is achieved by replacing dTTP with dUTP in the Second Strand Marking Mix (SMM), followed by second strand cDNA synthesis using DNA Polymerase I and RNase H. The incorporation of dUTP in second strand synthesis quenches the second strand during amplification, because the polymerase used in the assay is not incorporated past this nucleotide. The addition of Actinomycin D to First Stand Synthesis Act D mix (FSA) prevents spurious DNA-dependent synthesis, while allowing RNA-dependent synthesis, improving strand specificity. These cDNA fragments then have the addition of a single 'A' base and subsequent ligation of the adapter. The products are then purified and enriched with PCR to create the final cDNA library.