24-hour transcriptome profile in the murine VTA

This study aimed at identifying rhythmically regulated transcripts in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice. Punch biopsies of the VTA from C57BL/6 brain slices were prepared at 6 different timepoints across the day and analyzed for transcriptome regulation n = 4 per time point; 4-hour intervals starting at ZT0 (= "lights on") in a 12-hour light: 12-hour dark (LD) cycle; male C57BL/6N mice of 10-12 weeks of age were used; brains were sliced at 0.5 mm thickness and micropunches (diameter 0.5 mm) isolated for total RNA isolation, cRNA conversion and microarray habridization

本研究旨在鉴定小鼠腹侧被盖区（ventral tegmental area, VTA）中受节律调控的转录本。实验采用12小时光照:12小时黑暗（LD）光周期，于每日6个不同时间点采集C57BL/6小鼠脑切片的腹侧被盖区穿刺活检样本，每个时间点设置4个生物学重复；采样间隔为4小时，起始于节律时间0点（ZT0，即开灯时刻）；实验所用动物为10~12周龄的雄性C57BL/6N小鼠；脑组织被制备为0.5 mm厚度的切片，通过直径0.5 mm的显微穿刺获取目标组织，随后开展总RNA提取、互补RNA（complementary RNA, cRNA）合成及微阵列杂交。