Making and using spotted DNA microarrays in an academic core laboratory

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Spotted DNA microarray technology has become a mainstream tool for genomic-scale gene expression studies since the mid-1990s.
• The technology relies on enzymatic nucleic acid labeling and DNA hybridization.
• Accessibility and institutional support are key factors in microarray adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a specific, functional implementation of microarray instrumentation and methods.
• To provide a compendium of approaches and protocols for microarray fabrication and gene expression studies.
• To aid researchers in choosing appropriate microarray platforms and methods for genome-scale experiments.

Main Methods:

• Detailed description of instrumentation, standard operating procedures, and fabrication approaches used at Yale's Microarray Resource.
• Utilization of both "home-brew" and commercial products for optimized, cost-effective microarray tools.
• Protocols cover array fabrication, quality control, labeling, and hybridization.

Main Results:

• The described methods have been refined over 6 years of operation.
• The Microarray Resource has supported at least 50 publications.
• The implemented protocols provide a functional solution for gene expression studies.

Conclusions:

• The chapter presents a practical, cost-effective model for academic core microarray facilities.
• The described approaches offer insights into microarray services and studies within an academic setting.
• This resource aims to guide new core laboratories and researchers in utilizing microarray technology.