Medical and Biological Physics/Condensed Matter and Materials Physics(DMBP/DCMMP)
Physique médicale et biologique/Physique de la matière condensée et des matériaux (DPMB/DPMCM)

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Tim WESTWOOD
University of Toronto

Using DNA Microarrays for Functional Genomic Studies

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The sequencing of an organism’s genome is only the first step in the functional analysis of the genetic information it contains. Technological advances have allowed genome-wide analysis of such phenomena as: gene function, gene transcription and detection of genetic abnormalities and pathological states. One of the most powerful and exciting of these advances is DNA array based parallel genome analysis. This technique involves the immobilization of specific DNAs corresponding to hundreds or thousands of gene sequences onto glass in a small area to produce a “microarray”. Typically, RNA (or DNA) is isolated from control and experimental cells and detectable cDNAs are made from it using fluorescent nucleotides. The cDNAs are then hybridized to the array, and the amount of hybridization quantified and compared between the different conditions. Both the publication of complete annotated genome sequences and the availability of Expressed Sequence Tag cDNA collections have made the construction of “whole genome” microarrays possible for a number of model organisms (e.g. yeast, worms, fruit flies (Drosophila), and humans). The Canadian Drosophila Microarray Centre provides DNA microarrays, experiment and analysis services for academic researchers and our current microarray represents about 85% of the estimated 14,000 genes in Drosophila. The talk will briefly outline how these arrays are constructed and provide a few examples on how they can be used in functional genomic studies including ascribing functions to previously unknown genes.