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    Biomaterials Monday Sessions
       Session BI-MoM

Paper BI-MoM5
Efficient New Method of Nucleic Acid Immobilization

Monday, October 29, 2001, 11:00 am, Room 102

Session: Molecular Recognition
Presenter: Y. Wu, University of New Mexico
Authors: Y. Wu, University of New Mexico
P.L. Dolan, University of New Mexico
L.K. Ista, University of New Mexico
M.A. Nelson, University of New Mexico
R.L. Metzenberg, Stanford University
G.P. Lopez, University of New Mexico
Correspondent: Click to Email
The field of DNA microarray technology has necessitated the cooperative efforts of interdisciplinary scientific teams to achieve its primary goal of rapidly measuring preferential gene expression in an organism. To that end, a collaborative effort to produce a chemically reactive surface on glass slide substrates to which DNA will covalently bind for use in and advancement of cDNA microarray technology was undertaken. We have developed a chemical process for covalently linking unmodified DNA to an ordinary microscope slide in a manner that preserves the ability of the immobilized nucleic acid to hybridize to complementary sequences. The method of binding DNA to solid surfaces considerably increased the consistency and uniformity of attachment, and reduced DNA loss during the experimental process when compared to other commonly used commercially available methods. Moreover, better hybridization results have been generated compared to commercially available immobilization techniques. In general, this method allows binding of single- and double-stranded nucleic acids onto a solid substrate that can lead to considerable improvements in hybridization of complementary sequences, stability of affixed DNA, and re-usability of microarrays. Following our immobilization process, arrayed slides were reusable for at least 5 times. In addition, the hybridization data has been analyzed quantitatively and successfully correlated with solution concentrations. Although this method is originally designed for forming DNA microarrays, it is likely also suitable for the immobilization of proteins, ribozymes and aptamers onto certain solid substrates..