Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

13:33
Infinium Assay for Large-scale SNP Genotyping Applications
Published on: November 19, 2013
Using luminescent nanoparticles as staining probes for Affymetrix GeneChips
Lin Wang1, Charles Lofton, Michael Popp
1Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry, Shands Cancer Center and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7200, USA.
Bioconjugate Chemistry
|April 24, 2007
Summary
Luminescent nanoparticles offer a superior alternative to traditional probes for DNA microarray detection. This advancement simplifies procedures, enhances signal, and enables sensitive detection of low-abundance targets without amplification.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Microarray technology enables efficient genetic information access via DNA probe arrays.
- Current methods often require signal amplification for sensitive detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate luminescent nanoparticles as probes for Affymetrix GeneChips.
- To assess feasibility without altering commercial microarray system configurations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized luminescent nanoparticles for labeling DNA probes on Affymetrix GeneChips.
- Compared nanoparticle performance against traditional fluorescent protein streptavidin-phycoerythrin (SAPE).
Main Results:
- Demonstrated nanoparticles as effective probes for GeneChip labeling.
- Observed advantages including simplified staining, higher photobleaching threshold, and enhanced luminescence.
- Achieved a concentration detection limit of 50 fM without signal amplification.
Conclusions:
- Luminescent nanoparticles are feasible probes for commercial microarray systems.
- Nanoparticle probes offer improved reproducibility and cost-effectiveness.
- This method enhances sensitivity for detecting low-abundance targets.
Related Concept Videos
Labeling DNA Probes
DNA probes are fragments of DNA labeled with a reporter tag to enable their detection or purification. The resulting labeled DNA probes can then hybridize to target nucleic acid sequences through complementary base-pairing, and may be used to recover or identify these regions.
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
Radioisotopes, fluorophores, or small molecule binding partners like biotin or digoxigenin, are the most widely used reporter tags for labeling DNA probes. These labels can be attached to the probe DNA molecule via...
DNA Microarrays
Microarrays are high-throughput and relatively inexpensive assays that can be automated to analyze large quantities of data at a time. They are used in genome-wide studies to compare gene or protein expression under two varied conditions, such as healthy and diseased states. Microarrays consist of glass or silica slides on which probe molecules are covalently attached through surface functionalization. Most commonly, the slides are prepared through the chemisorption of silanes to silica...
FISH - Fluorescent In-situ Hybridization
Fluorescence in situ hybridization, or FISH, was developed in the early 1980s and has quickly become one of the most widely used techniques in cytogenetics. Labeled probes are used to bind complementary DNA or RNA sequences on a chromosome or in a region within a cell. Earlier, the probes could only be obtained by cloning or reverse transcription of a DNA template. Currently, the probe oligonucleotides can be synthesized synthetically. Additionally, with the advancement of optical techniques,...
Reporter Genes
Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
Commonly used reporter...
Commonly used reporter...
