Blog: Detection of Genes through Microarray
Hochuen Medical, China specializes in a distinct laboratory tool, namely Microarray to detect the expression of a host of genes altogether within a specific time frame.
A microarray is a kind of technology that minimizes operations that have long been utilized in a molecular genetics laboratory. It allows DNA or RNA molecules to be detected by hybridizing or attaching to specific DNA or RNA molecules on a glass slide. It then detects the adherent DNA or RNA molecule applying various dyes or labels that enable them to be observed under a microscope. The DNA molecules on each glass slide (gene chip) serve as probes for detecting gene expression, commonly known as the transcriptome or the array of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts expressed by a set of genes. Genes expressed in the sample are identified by light-producing areas on the gene chip or glass slide.
Principles
mRNA refers to a molecule that transports genetic information from the nucleus of a cell to the cytoplasm for protein regulation. A method called microarray transcription produces multiple copies of mRNA matching with specific genes whenever they are expressed or found in active status. Translation generates the appropriate protein from these mRNAs. As a result, one can analyze genetic information or gene expression indirectly by evaluating distinct mRNAs. The examination of the expression through microarray in most genes in a specimen is referred to as discovery-based research rather than hypothesis-driven evaluation.
Techniques
The ability to deposit numerous distinct DNA sequences on a small surface, usually a glass slide or a gene chip, is the backbone of gene microarray technology. Several DNA fragments are organized in rows and columns such that the authenticity of each fragment may be determined by its placement on the array. Only a few genes can be tested per investigation using techniques like Northern blot and RT-PCR. However, global expression profiling or microarray not only examines orders of magnitude of genes that were previously conceivable but also has the distinction of not being influenced by gene preselection.
Applications:
· Antibiotic Treatment: Anaerobic bacteria, especially actinomyces, are generally difficult to culture in the oral cavity where they are the infecting agent. DNA microarray analysis is useful because bacterial genomic DNA generally outlasts the bacteria's viability, allowing a micro diagnosis to be established with a tiny amount of DNA rather than the vast numbers of bacteria required for culture.
· Cancer Therapy: Tumor formation marks simultaneous changes in a range of cells as well as gene variants. Scientists can benefit from microarray since it allows them to test a huge number of genetic samples at the same time. It is particularly useful in the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and cell mutations, tumor categorization, cancer biomarker identification, chemoresistance gene discovery, and drug research.
· Premature Cancer Detection: A variety of reversible illnesses can cause leukoplakia or white lesions of the oral cavity. The tiny subset of these lesions that transform into oral cancer is now undetectable by simple microscopic observation. Microarray will help researchers to distinguish harmless white lesions from precancerous lesions or very early malignancy. It will identify gene expression profiles to perfection.
Conclusion
Though now limited in its applications due to cost, the prospects may improve as commercial products will become more widely available. Mastering molecular biology requires the proven skills to record a great number of historical samples and analyze them for distinct genetic variations. Microarray has a lot of promise when it comes to diagnosing oral disorders. Oral disease categories based on DNA, RNA, or protein profiles will significantly improve the ability of scientists to diagnose, monitor, analyze, and treat patients more methodically. Hochuen Medical in China is working relentlessly towards achieving this objective.
