Fast quantitative real-time PCR-based screening for common chromosomal aneuploidies in mouse embryonic stem cells

Stem Cell Reports. 2013 Sep 26;1(4):350-9. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2013.08.003. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Chromosomal integrity has been known for many years to affect the ability of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) to contribute to the germline of chimeric mice. Abnormal chromosomes are generally detected by standard cytogenetic karyotyping. However, this method is expensive, time consuming, and often omitted prior to blastocyst injection, consequently reducing the frequency of mESC-derived offspring. Here, we show a fast, accurate, and inexpensive screen for identifying the two most common aneuploidies (Trisomy 8 and loss of chromosome Y) in genetically manipulated mESCs using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Screening against these two aneuploidies significantly increases the fraction of normal mESC clones. Our method is extremely sensitive and can detect as low as 10% aneuploidy among a large population of mESCs. It greatly expedites the generation of mutant mice and provides a quick tool for assessing the aneuploidy percentages of any mESC line.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aneuploidy*
  • Animals
  • Chromosome Deletion
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8
  • Computer Simulation
  • Embryonic Stem Cells*
  • Karyotyping / methods*
  • Mice
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Trisomy
  • Y Chromosome

Supplementary concepts

  • Chromosome 8, trisomy