Probe selection for DNA microarrays using OligoWiz

Nat Protoc. 2007;2(11):2677-91. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2007.370.

Abstract

Nucleotide abundance measurements using DNA microarray technology are possible only if appropriate probes complementary to the target nucleotides can be identified. Here we present a protocol for selecting DNA probes for microarrays using the OligoWiz application. OligoWiz is a client-server application that offers a detailed graphical interface and real-time user interaction on the client side, and massive computer power and a large collection of species databases (400, summer 2007) on the server side. Probes are selected according to five weighted scores: cross-hybridization, deltaT(m), folding, position and low-complexity; and probes can be placed with respect to sequence annotation using regular expressions. This protocol provides recommendations related to the design and parameter settings, and it also offers a comprehensive walkthrough of the design steps. The protocol requires limited computer skills and can be executed from any Internet-connected computer. The probe selection procedure for a standard microarray design targeting all yeast transcripts can be completed in 1 h.

MeSH terms

  • Cyclins / chemistry
  • Cyclins / genetics
  • DNA Probes / chemistry*
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / methods*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Software*

Substances

  • CLN2 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Cyclins
  • DNA Probes
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins