Analysis of gene function using DNA microarrays

This chapter provides a guide to analyzing gene function using DNA microarrays. First, I discuss the design and interpretation of experiments where gene expression levels in mutant and wild-type strains are compared. I then provide a detailed description of the protocols for isolating mRNA from yeast cells, converting the RNA into dye-labeled cDNA, and hybridizing these samples to a microarray. Finally, I discuss methods for washing, scanning, and analyzing the arrays. Emphasis is placed on describing approaches and techniques that help to minimize the artifacts and noise that so often plague microarray data.