Identification of reliable reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in ovary and uterus of laying hens under heat stress.

The main stage in real-time quantitative PCR is a quantification of gene transcriptomes, in which suitable use of reliable reference genes is critical to normalize accurately. To determine the most stable reference genes in laying hens under heat stress, from a panel of nine typical candidate reference genes, the mRNA transcript of ACTB, HMBS, HPRT1, RPL13, RPL32, 18SrRNA, TBP, TFRC, and YWHAZ was evaluated in the ovary and uterus of both control and heat-stress groups of laying hens. Forty 23-week-old White Leghorn laying hens were housed in two rooms.