Macroarray production

We use an automated robotic system (Q-Pix, Genetix) to produce different densities arrays. The Q-Pixt uses a 96 or 384 pins head which takes aliquots of bacteria from microplates and spots them in duplicate on nylon membrane (22*22 cm).

Using a 2x2 pattern allows the duplicate spotting of 9,216 clones per filter, whereas the 5x5 pattern gathers 27,648 clones per filter or 39,936 clones with 6*6 pattern.

7*7 Pattern details :

This high density spotting allows decreasing the number of filters to be hybridized in order to perform a screening. We can spot up to 55 296 duplicated BAC clones (144 microplates in duplicate) on a single membrane.

Production of macroarrays is subjected to an internal quality control. A membrane of each batch produced is checked by hybridization using reference probes. All quality insurance procedures are available for our customers on demand.

Macroarray are delivered with a spotting pattern scheme and hybridization protocol.

Applications :

Macroarrays are suited for radioactive or non-radioactive hybridization protocols. Each filter can be re-used at least 5 times.

• BAC Colonies filters can be used for qualitative screening experiments (to identify genes of interest, based on information from model plant or related species).
• cDNA filters can be used to perform gene expression analysis experiments.

Macroarray production equipment

The high density gridding of macroarrays is performed by the QpixIIXT (molecular Devices)

BAC clones DNA is fixed on macroarray using a crosslinker.