Total RNA vs mRNA for diff. display

[dkim at unm.edu]

Hello:

I am not sure what is meant by "Better" results:

quote:
Why  does total RNA yield better results than mRNA in the mRNA
differential display technique.
endquote.

I have always used total RNA because it is easier to measure the larger 
amounts of RNA.  The non-poly(A)+ acts as a more-or-less neutral carrier.

I'd guess that there is some amount of nonspecific hangup of RNA in a
poly(A)+ selection that may skew your results with regard to relative expression
of genes.  The differential display is rather sensitive to changes in rare
RNA species, so losing a few molecules on the matrix may really mess up your
results.

(If you are talking about some other aspect of quality, then, well, forget
what I just said   :>

Daniel Kim
dkim at triton.unm.edu