MYcroarray offers gene expression and Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) services. Our team has accumulated years of experience preparing samples for microarray analysis, performing microarray experiments and analyzing high volume microarray data.

Gene Expression Analysis Service

Total RNA samples (Minimum depends on subsequent labeling protocol) are shipped to MYcroarray as ethanol precipitates (without centrifugation). Our team evaluates your samples to assess their quality following shipment. Your samples will be analyzed with an Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100 and qualified for service based on the integrity of the ribosomal RNA. We will proceed with template preparation only if your samples have a ribosomal rRNA ratio (small subunit/large subunit) > 1.0 and a A260/A280 spectrophotometer ratio >2.0. Otherwise, you will be requested to submit new samples.

Our standard labeling procedure is as follow (please inquire for alternative procedures). For bacterial RNA, we first enrich the mRNA by depleting most of rRNAs. Then our team will convert your RNA sample into cRNA by in vitro transcription (IVT). The cRNA will contain UTP conjugated to amino-allyl moieties. Following IVT, we couple fluorescent dyes to amino-allyl moieties and purify the fluor-coupled cRNA. Following fragmentation of the labeled cRNA, we assess the quality of the fragmented cRNA and the extent of dye incorporation to be certain that your sample qualifies for microarray hybridization. Our job is to make sure that our sample preparation process has resulted in high quality labeled cRNA from your samples. Based on our experience, high quality template may be the most important parameter for successful outcome from microarray experiments. If the labeled cRNA fails our quality control analysis, we will repeat the sample preparation process with no additional cost to you.

For each experiment, either a two color competitive hybridization on one array or two single color hybridizations on two arrays may be performed upon your request. The cost of generating the labeled cRNA from each sample is the same regardless of which experimental format (one color or two colors) is chosen. Our customers can custom design their own experiments by indicating how many technical replicates of both probes and arrays are desired. Our team has many years of experience in the design of microarray experiments and we can offer our advice if requested.

For each microarray hybridization, we will provide an image (.tif) of the MYcroarray on a CD/DVD. In addition, the raw data extracted from each image by GenePix Pro (v6.1.0.4) as well as a gene annotation file will be provided in several formats (.txt, .gpr, .xls). Our basic service also includes array normalization, background correction and an estimation of the presence or absence of each transcript ("Present" call) surveyed by your custom microarray. More advanced statistical analyses may be requested for additional cost (inquire).

Comparative Genomic Hybridization Service

Your DNA samples (10 ug minimum per experiment for bacteria) are shipped to MYcroarray as ethanol precipitates (without centrifugation). Our team evaluates your samples to assess their quality following shipment. Samples will be qualified for further processing if the a A260/A280 spectrophotometeric ratio >1.8 and no significant degradation is seen upon analysis with an Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100 DNA chip or gel electrophoresis.

Our team will convert your DNA sample to cDNA by random priming and include amino-allyl conjugated dXTP to label the cDNA with amino-allyl moieties. We will assess the quality and yield of the cDNA and proceed with template preparation only if the cDNA yield is greater than twice the amount of input DNA and the cDNA size distribution is approximately 100-400 bp (determined by a single strand DNA chip on an Agilent Bioanalyzer).

Next we couple fluorescent dyes to amino-allyl moieties and purify the fluor-coupled cDNA. Our team will assess the extent of dye incorporation spectrophotometrically to be certain that your sample qualifies for MYcroarray hybridization. Our job is to make sure that our sample preparation process has resulted in high quality labeled cDNA from your sample. Based on our experience, high quality template may be the most important parameter for successful outcome from microarray experiments. If the labeled cDNA fails our quality control analysis, we will repeat the sample preparation process with no additional cost to you.

For each experiment, either a two color competitive hybridization on one array or two single color hybridizations on two arrays may be performed upon your request. The cost of generating the labeled cDNA from each sample is the same regardless of which experimental format (one color or two colors) is chosen. Our customers can custom design their own experiments by indicating how many technical replicates of both probes and arrays are desired. Our team has many years of experience in the design of microarray experiments and we can offer our advice if requested.

For each MYcroarray hybridization, we will provide an image (.tif) of the MYcroarray on a CD. In addition, the raw data extracted from each image by GenePix Pro (v6.1.0.4) as well as a gene annotation file will be provided in the different formats (.txt, .gpr, .xls). Our basic service also includes array normalization, background correction and an estimation of the presence or absence of each gene ("Present" call) surveyed by your custom MYcroarray. More advanced statistical analyses may be requested for additional cost (inquire).