Analysis of host responses to microbial infection using gene expression profiling

Gene expression profiling offers new opportunities for understanding host-cell responses to microbial pathogens and their products. Current strategies involve either first identifying mRNAs that differ in their expression status under different experimental conditions and later defining the identity of the respective genes (for example, differential display or serial analysis of gene expression), or alternatively assessing changes in the expression of already defined genes (for example, cDNA or oligonucleotide microarrays). Early studies indicate the power of gene expression profiling for providing new insights into groups of genes whose expression is altered during the course of host-microbe interactions, and for the discovery of cellular genes that were not previously recognized to be regulated by infection.