IDENTIFICATION OF GENES REGULATED BY GLUCOSE IN A PANCREATIC BETA-CELL LINE BY A NEW METHOD FOR SUBFRACTION OF MESSENGER-RNA

Various genes are differentially expressed in cells during cell differ entiation, development, aging, and in pathological conditions. To iden tify and isolate the genes that are specifically and differentially ex pressed in cells, we established a ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for cDNA subtraction. As this method is PC R-based, when target genes are expressed at high levels relative to th e driver (a control pool for subtraction), even a small amount of targ et genes can be amplified. By this newly developed PCR-based subtracti on method, a set of genes regulated by glucose were identified in a mo use insulinoma cell line. This PCR-based and non-radioactive subtracti on method will be a powerful tool for identification of novel genes, s pecifically and differentally expressed in cells.