E-learning in analysis of genomic and proteomic data 2. Data analysis 2.2. Analysis of high-density genomic data 2.2.1. DNA microarrays

What is DNA microarray

DNA microarray is an arrayed series of spotted short DNA sequences (oligonucleotides) that is used to detect DNA or RNA (the latter usually as a cDNA after reverse transcription) in samples. Most commonly,it is used for measuring changes in

• gene expression levels (gene expression profiling, based on RNA detection) - expression arrays
• detection of genome structural changes (SNPs-single nucleotide polymorphisms or gene copy number changes) - arrayCGH
• DNA microarray technology is also succesfully used for the determination of protein binding sites on the genome (ChIP-on-chip), detection of alternative splicing (exon junction arrays) or for the precise detection of unknown and unpredicted transcripts or alternative splice forms (tiling arrays)