Objective: To study genetic differences between H37Rv and H37Ra by mRNA differential display, paving the way for obtaining virulence-related gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB).
Methods: Total RNA was extracted from MTB H37Rv and H37Ra, mRNA differential display was conducted following reverse transcription, polymerase chain reaction, polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis and radiography. The differential bands were recovered, reamplified, sequenced, and then homologous query was done.
Results: 10 differential bands between H37Rv and H37Ra were recovered, 2 of which were homologous to H37Rv DNA after query from NCBI database of GenBank.
Conclusions: mRNA differential display is an effective, sensitive method, can display differences between different strains intra- and extra-species and be used in searching Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence-related gene. Obtained differential bands in this study may cover MTB virulence-related gene.