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16
Microarrays
Quality Control and Hybridization Protocol
Ken-ichiro Uno and Hiroki R. Ueda
Summary
Microarray technology is an exciting and promising tool, and is increasingly employed
for studying circadian rhythms. To obtain optimal results from this technology, it is important to perform quality control experiments before engaging in genome-wide expression
analysis. In this chapter, we provide an overview of quantitative polymerase chain reaction experiments using the ABI PRISM® 7900HT system for quality control of samples,and micorarray experiments using the Affymetrix GeneChip system for genome-wide
expression analysis.
Key Words: Circadian rhythm; quantitative PCR; microarray; quality control.

1. Introduction
The past decade has seen a growing number of model organisms that have
either draft or complete genome sequences, including Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, Mus
musculus, and Homo sapiens. The availability of these resources and the development of tools such as DNA microarrays that allow high-throughput experimental biology have been driving a paradigm shift in the life sciences, from themolecular “one-gene-at-a-time” level to a network or systems level (1–5).
Genome-wide experimental biology approaches offer the opportunity towork more efficiently, and also the possibility to explore universal governing
principles underlying physiology. Several recent microarray studies have investigated the large-scale organization of gene expression, revealing complex networks that capitulate physiological processes such as the cell cycle, responses
to environmental change, circadian rhythms, and developmental and tissue specific gene regulation (6–8). In microarray studies of circadian rhythms, we,From: Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 362: Circadian Rhythms: Methods and Protocols
Edited by: E. Rosato © Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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along with others, performed genome-wide gene expression analyses using
DNA microarrays to identify clock-controlled genes in Arabidopsis, Drosophila, and mammals (6,9–25). In this chapter, we describe the overall procedures of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) experiments using
the ABI PRISM® 7900HT system for quality control of RNA samples, and also
micorarray experiments using the Affymetrix GeneChip® system for genomewide expression analysis.
2. Materials
2.1. Quantitative PCR
1. ABI PRISM 7900HT Sequence Detection System (Applied Biosystems).
2. Primer Express® (Applied Biosystems).
3. Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft).
4. Random primer (PROMEGA, cat. no. C1181); store at –20°C.
5. Super Script II RNaseH–Reverse Transcriptase 200 U/µL, 5X first-strand buffer,
0.1 M dithiothreitol (DTT; Invitrogen, cat. no. 18064-014); store at –20°C.
6. 10 mM dNTP mix (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18427-013); store at –20°C.
7. 2X SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix (Applied Biosystems, cat. no. 4309155); store
at 4°C in dark.
8. 384-Well clear optical reaction plate (Applied Biosystems, cat. no. 4309849).
9. Optical adhesive covers (Applied Biosystems, cat. no. 4311971).

2.2. GeneChip
1. Affymetrix GeneChip technology equipment: hybridization oven, operating software (GCOS), fluidics station 400, scanner 3000.

2.2.1. Preparation of Double-Stranded cDNA
1. T7-(dT)24 Primer (Amersham, cat. no. 72-0591-01); dissolve in water to 100
pmol/µL and store at –20°C.
2. Super ScriptII RNaseH–Reverse Transcriptase 200 U/µL, 5X first-strand buffer,
0.1 M DTT (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18064-014); store at –20°C.
3. 10 mM dNTP mix (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18427-013); store at –20°C .
4. 5X Second-strand buffer (Invitrogen, cat. no. 10812-014); store at –20°C.
5. 10 U/µL DNA ligase (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18052-019); store at –20°C.
6. 10 U/µL DNA polymerase I (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18010-025); store at –20°C.
7. 2 U/µL RNaseH (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18021-071); store at –20°C.
8. 5 U/µL T4 DNA polymerase (Invitrogen, cat. no. 18005-025); store at –20°C.
9. 0.5 M EDTA (Sigma, cat. no. E7889).
10. Phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1; Invitrogen, cat. no. 15593-049);
store at 4°C.
11. 7.5 M Ammonium acetate (Sigma, cat. no. A2706); store at 4°C.
12. Glycogen (Ambion, cat. no. 9510); store at –20°C.

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2.2.2. Preparation of Biotin-Labeled cRNA
1. Enzo® BioArray™ HighYield™ RNA Transcript Labeling Kit (T7; Enzo Life
Science, cat. no. 42655-10); store at –20°C.
2. RNeasy® Mini Kit (QIAGEN, cat. no. 74103, 74104, or 74106).

2.2.3. Fragmentation of cRNA
1. 5X Fragmentation buffer: 4 mL of 1 M Tris-acetate, pH 8.1, 0.64 g of magnesium
acetate, 0.98 g of potassium acetate, DEPC-treated water to 20 mL. Sterilize witha 0.2-µm filter and store at room temperature.

2.2.4. Hybridization Cocktail and Hybridization
1. Eukaryotic hybridization control kit, including control oligonucleotide B2 (3 nM)
and 20X eukaryotic hybridization controls (Affymetrix, cat. no. 900299); store at–20°C.
2. Herring sperm DNA (Promega, cat. no. D1811); store at –20°C.
3. Acetylated BSA solution (Invitrogen, cat. no. 15561-020); store at –20°C
4. GeneChip Probe Array (Affymetrix).
5. 12X 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic (MES) stock (1.22 M MES, 0.89 M [Na+]): 70.4 g
MES-free acid monohydrate (Sigma, cat. no. M5287), 193.3 g MES sodium salt
(Sigma, cat. no. M5057), H2O to 1 L. Prepare under RNAse-free conditions, sterilize through a 0.2-µm filter, and store in the dark at 4°C.
6. 2X Hybridization buffer: 8.3 mL of 12X MES stock, 17.7 mL of 5 M NaCl, 4.0 mL
of 0.5 M EDTA, 0.1 mL of 10% Tween-20, 19.9 mL of H2O. Prepare under RNAsefree conditions and store in dark at 4°C.

2.2.5. Wash and Stain
1. Nonstringent wash buffer (Wash A): 300 mL of 20X SSPE (Invitrogen, cat. no.
15591-043), 1 mL of 10% Tween-20, 699 mL of H2O. Prepare under RNase-free
conditions, sterilize through a 0.2-µm filter, and store in the dark at 4°C or room
temperature.
2. Stringent wash buffer (Wash B): 83.3 mL of 12X MES stock buffer, 5.2 mL of 5 M
NaCl, 1.0 mL of 10% Tween-20, 910.5 mL of H2O. Prepare under RNase-free
conditions, sterilize through a 0.2-µm filter, and store in the dark at 4°C.
3. R-phycoerythrin-streptavidin (SAPE; Molecular Probes, cat. no. S-866); store at
4°C in the dark.
4. 2X Stain buffer: 41.7 mL of 12X MES stock buffer, 92.5 mL of 5 M NaCl, 2.5 mLof 10% Tween-20, 113.3 mL of H2O. Prepare under RNase-free conditions, sterilize through a 0.2-µm filter, and store in the dark at 4°C.
5. SAPE stain solution (stains 1 and 3): 600 µL of 2X stain buffer, 48 µL of acetylated
bovine serum albumin (BSA; 50 mg/mL), 12 µL of SAPE (1 mg/mL), 540 µL of
H2O. Divide into two aliquots of 600 µL each to be used for stains 1 and 3.
6. Goat IgG, reagent grade (Sigma, cat. no. 15256); resuspend to 10 mg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and store at 4°C.

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Fig. 1. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction flow chart.

7. Antistreptavidin antibody (goat), biotinylated (VectorLaboratories, cat. no. BA0500); resuspend to 0.5 mg/mL in PBS and store at 4°C.
8. Antibody solution (stain 2): 300 µL of 2X stain buffer, 24 µL of acetylated BSA(50 mg/mL), 6 µL of normal goat IgG (10 mg/mL), 3.6 µL of biotinylated antibody (0.5 mg/mL), 266.4 µL of H2O.

3. Methods
3.1. Q-PCR: Quality Check of Sample RNA
Quality control of samples prior to microarray analysis can be performed by
Q-PCR. This method requires only a small amount (250 ng) of total RNA andresults in excellent reproducibility. Moreover, Q-PCR can be used for independent verification of the data following microarray analysis. Here we describe theoverall procedure for Q-PCR (Fig. 1).

3.1.1. Primer Design
The design of primer sets for Q-PCR begins with obtaining the DNA sequence
for the gene of interest via a public database such as “UCSC Genome Browser”(http://genome.ucsc.edu/), “Ensemble” (www.ensembl.org/), and “LocusLink”(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/LocusLink). We usually design Q-PCR primer sets

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within a single exon at the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of a target gene. There
are several reasons for this choice:
1. A relatively large exon can be usually found at the 3'-UTR of genes.
2. DNA sequences at the 3'-UTR are relatively unique.
3. Probes used in the GeneChip expression analysis system are designed at the 3'-UTR.
4. Designing primer sets within a single exon allows the use of genomic DNA as astandard for absolute quantification.

We do not design primers across exon boundaries and we recommend avoiding repetitive sequences, which are not suitable for Q-PCR analysis. For exons
longer than 200 bp, the primer design is not very difficult. We usually use Primer
Express® software, which is included with the PRISM® 7900HT system. Here
we describe the basic procedure for primer design using Primer Express.
1. Start the software Primer Express.
2. For designing new primers, select “DNA PCR Document” from the “File/New”
menu.
3. Enter the DNA sequence either by going to “File/Import” and selecting the “Import
DNA File” button in the “Sequence” Tab, or by copying and pasting the sequence
through the “Edit” menu.
4. Click the “Params” tab and then click the “Defaults” button. You will not need toalter the majority of the parameters, as the defaults follow the Probe and Primer
design guidelines established by Applied Biosystems. However, you shouldchange “Min length” at “Amplicon Requirements, ” we usually use a “Minlength” value between 50 and 80. The default parameters that we use are as follows: At “Primer Tm Requirements,” “Min Tm” is 58°C, “Max Tm” 60°C, “Optimal Tm” 59°C, and “Maximal Tm difference” 2°C. At “Primer GC content
Requirements,” “Min %GC” is 20, “Max %GC” 80, and “3'-GC clamp of residue” 0. At “Primer Length Requirements,” “Min length” is 9, “Max length” 40,
and “Optimal length” 20. At “Amplicon Requirements,” there is no other parameter than “Min length” as described above. “Min Tm” is 0°C, “Max Tm” 85°C,
and “Max length” 150.
5. Select “Find Primers/Probes Now” from the “Options” menu. Wait for the end ofoperation.
6. If the software finds suitable primers, click the “Primers” tab to display a list ofsuggested primer sets. If the software cannot find suitable primers, try again bychanging the “Min length” parameter of the “Params” tab.
7. Select a primer pair from the list that will produce the shortest amplicon whilesatisfying all design guidelines.
8. Click on the line containing the chosen primer and probe set, then click on the“Order” button at the bottom of the “Primers” tab. This order form does not actually place electronic orders. The “Order” document is a text file that enables theediting of the sequence information for ordering. The sequences within the order
document can now be copied and pasted into electronic orders.
9. Test the quality of the primers before extensive use in Q-PCR analyses (see Note 1).

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Below we provide the name, accession number, and primer sequence for six
mouse genes commonly used for circadian expression analysis. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapd), b-actin (Actb) and TATA box binding protein (Tbp) are used as internal (noncycling) controls. Period2 (Per2),
Crytochrome1 (Cry1), and Brain muscle arnt like1 (Bmal1) are used as positive controls.
Gapd NM_008084
mGapd-1039F CAAGGAGTAAGAAACCCTGGACC
mGapd-1109R CGAGTTGGGATAGGGCCTCT
Tbp NM_013684
mTbp-722F GTGATGTGAAGTTCCCCATAAGG
mTbp-782R CTACTGAACTGCTGGTGGGTCA
Actb NM_007393
mActb-1765F TTGTCCCCCCAACTTGATGT
mActb-1835R CCTGGCTGCCTCAACACCTPer2 NM_011066
mPer2-5643F TGTGCGATGATGATTCGTGA
mPer2-5713R GGTGAAGGTACGTTTGGTTTGC
Cry1 NM_007771
mCry1-1740F TGAGGCAAGCAGACTGAATATTG
mCry1-1805R CCTCTGTACCGGGAAAGCTG
Bmal1 NM_007489
mBmal1-2407F CCACCTCAGAGCCATTGATACA
mBmal1-2477R GAGCAGGTTTAGTTCCACTTTGTCT

3.1.2. Reverse Transcription
Q-PCR experiments start with the synthesis of cDNA from total RNA. In
this step, random hexamers prime total RNA for reverse transcription (RT).
Here we describe the detailed protocol for RT.
1. Add the following components to a nuclease-free tube:
a. Total RNA (0.1 µg/µL): 2.5 µL.
b. Random primer (25 ng/µL): 2.5 µL.
c. DEPC-treated H2O: 7.0 µL.
2. Incubate at 70°C for 10 min in a thermal cycler.
3. Quickly chill on ice.
4. Add the following components:
a. 4.0 µL 5X first-strand buffer.
b. 2.0 µL 0.1 M DTT.

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c. 1.0 µL 10 mM dNTP mix.
d. 1.0 µL 200 U/µ;L Super Script II RT.
5. Gently mix the contents of the tube.
6. Incubate the reaction at 25°C for 15 min, at 42°C for 50 min, and then at 70°C for
15 min using a thermal cycler.
7. Chill on ice, then add 180 µL (or 380 µL) of H2O and transfer to a new 1.5-mL
tube.
8. Store at –20°C.

3.1.3. Preparation of Q-PCR Reaction Plates
In this section, we describe the preparation of reaction plates (384-well format) for Q-PCR using the ABI PRISM 7900HT Sequence Detection System
and SYBR Green I dye. In this system, PCR products are monitored in realtime by measuring the increase in fluorescence caused by the binding of SYBRGreen I to double-stranded DNA.
The quantification of gene expression via RT Q-PCR requires normalization of the data according to the amount of cDNA added to each PCR reaction.
For this purpose we use amplification of Gapd, Tbp, or Actb (depending on theorganism and tissue) as an invariable internal control. Because absolute quantification requires that absolute quantities of the standard should be known by
independent means, we use genomic DNA to prepare these absolute standards.
The DNA concentration is measured by absorbance at 260 nm and it is converted to genome copies per microliter using the molecular weight of the genomic
DNA. Figure 2 shows the plate setup for quantification of the expression of 10
genes. Fivefold dilutions of genomic DNA are used to construct the standard
curve for each gene. We usually use six dilutions (1/5, 1/25, 1/125, 1/625, 1/3125,
and 1/15625) of mouse genomic DNA (0.1 µg/µL), which correspond to 6667,
1333, 267, 53, 11, and 2 genome copies per microliter, respectively (seeNote 2). Genomic DNA standards and cDNA samples are usually assayedin duplicate. The arrangement of standards and samples on the plate is dependent on the number of genes and samples. We usually design the plate setup
with spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel, and then prepare the Q-PCR
reaction plate.
1. Add 4.0 µL of each cDNA sample (prepared as in Subheading 3.1.2.) into thedesignated wells of a 384-well clear optical reaction plate, in duplicate. Do thesame for each gene tested.
2. Add 4.0 µL of each dilution of genomic DNA into the designated wells of theplate, in duplicate. Do the same for each gene tested.
3. Prepare a PCR reaction mixture as follows:a. 2X SYBR Green PCR master mix: 5.0 µL/well.
b. Forward primer (100 mM): 0.5 µL/well.

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Fig. 2. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction design on a 384-well plate. Samples
collected every 4 h over 2 d generate 12 cDNA to be analyzed for each gene tested.
Moreover, for each gene, six dilutions of genomic DNA are required to build the standard curve used for absolute quantification. Each assay is performed in duplicate;hence 36 wells (12 for standards, 24 for samples) are required for the analysis of each
one gene. On a 384-well plate, 10 genes can be analyzed simultaneously. Wells from
A1 to B12 are used for gene 1, wells from B13 to C24 are used for gene 2, …wellsfrom N13 to O24 are used for gene 10. A sample name such as “0–1” indicates time 0
on day 1, “4–2” means time 4 on day 2, and so on. “1/5,” “1/25,” and so forth indicate
fivefold dilutions of genomic DNA standards.

c. Reverse primer (100 mM): 0.5 µL/well.
d. H2O: 0.9 µL/well.
4. Dispense 6.0 µL of the reaction mixture into each well with template DNA.
5. Seal the plate with an optical clear seal and mix the plate well.
6. Spin down. The plate can be kept at 4°C for several hours.

3.1.4. Q-PCR
Every run on the 7900HT SDS instrument requires the creation of a plate
document within the SDS software.
1. Launch the SDS software SDS 2.1.
2. Select “File/New” to open New Document dialog box.
3. Configure the New Document dialog box with the following settings:
a. “Assay” drop-down list—select “Absolute Quantification (Standard Curve).”b. “Container” drop-down list—select “384 Wells Clear Plate.”

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c. “Template” drop-down list—select “Blank Template.”d. “Barcode” field—leave blank.
4. Click “OK. ”
5. Select “Tools/Detector Manager” (see Note 3).
6. In the Detector Manager dialog box, click “New. ”
7. Configure the Add Detector dialog box:
a. “Name” field—enter a name for the detector (e.g. “SYBR-GAPD”).
b. “Description” field (optional)—enter a brief description of the assay.
c. “Reporter” drop-down list—select “SYBR Green.”d. “Quencher” drop-down list—select “Non Fluorescent.”e. “Color” box (optional)—click the box then use the Color Picker dialog box toselect a color to represent the detector, and click “OK.”f. “Note” field (optional)—enter any additional comments for the detector.
8. Click “OK. ” The software saves the new detector and displays it in the detector
list.
9. Repeat steps 6–8 to create detectors for all remaining assays on the plate.
10. In the Detector Manager dialog box of the SDS software, copy the detectors to
the plate document:a. While pressing and holding the “Ctrl” key, select the detectors you want toapply to the plate document. The software highlights the selected detectors.
b. Click “Copy to Plate Document.” The software adds the detectors to the wellinspector (right window) of the plate document.
11. Click “Done” to close the Detector Manager.
12. In the plate grid (upper left window), select the wells containing the assay for the
first detector.
13. Apply detector to the selection by clicking the check box for the detector in the“Use” column of the well inspector (right window).
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 to apply the remaining detectors to the plate grid (upper
left window).
15. Using the “Ctrl” and “Shift” keys select the wells of the plate grid (upper left
window) containing samples for a particular task such as sample, standard or
negative control (see Note 4).
16. In the well inspector (right window), click the field in the “Task” column foreach detector entry and select the appropriate task from the drop-down list. A
task “Unknown” will be applied to cDNA samples, “Standard” to genomic DNA
standards, and “NTC” to negative control wells that contain PCR reagents butlack template DNA. The SDS software labels all selected wells with the task.
17. Repeat steps 15 and 16 until all tasks are applied to the plate document.
18. In the plate grid (upper left window) of the SDS software, select the replicate
wells containing the first standard, i.e., the first dilution of genomic DNA.
19. In the well inspector (right window), click the field in the “Task” column for theappropriate detector entry, and select the “Standard” from the drop-down list.
Click the “Quantity” column for the appropriate detector, enter a quantity for the234

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standard in the appropriate unit of measurement (e.g., copy number), and press“Enter.” The software labels the selected standard wells with the specified quantity.
20. Repeat steps 18 and 19 to configure the plate with the other sets of replicate
standard wells on the plate.
21. In the “Instrument” tab of the plate document select the “Thermal Profile” tab(see Note 5).
22. Deselect the “9600 Emulation” checkbox (see Note 6).
23. Modify the default thermal profile as follows:a. Delete Stage 1.
b. Change the “Repeats” in Stage 3 from 30 to 45.
c. Change the “Temperature” in the second step of Stage 3 from 60°C to 59°C
(see Note 7).
d. Click the “Sample Volume (mL)” field and enter 10 µL.
e. If you would like to check that your primers can amplify the target sequencecorrectly, click “Add Dissociation Stage” (see Note 8).
24. In the SDS software, select the “Instrument” tab of the plate document.
25. In the “Real-Time” tab of the “Instrument” tab, click “Open/Close.” The instrument tray rotates to the OUT position.
26. Place the prepared optical plate into the instrument tray as shown below.
27. In the “Real-Time” tab of the “Instrument” tab, click “Open/Close.” The instrument tray rotates to the IN position.
28. Select “Files/Save As” to save the ABI PRISM SDS Document file.
29. Click “Start” to perform a Q-PCR.
30. After the Q-PCR run, you can save the run data to the ABI PRISM SDS Document file by selecting “Files/Save As.”
31. Click “Open/Close” in the “Instrument” tab to eject the optical plate.

3.1.5. Q-PCR Data Analysis
1. Click “OK” in the small window that opens after successful conclusion of the run.
2. Select “Analysis/Analyze.” The SDS software analyzes the run data and displays
the results in the “Results” tab.
3. Select the “Results” tab and view “Standard plot” and “Amplification plot” foreach gene analyzed.
4. If you have added the dissociation stage to your protocol, you can view the curvein the “Dissociation Curve.” Correct amplification will result in a single peak inthe dissociation plot.
5. Select “File/Export” to export the results to a text file.
6. Close the SDS 2.1 software and turn off ABI PRISM 7900HT system.

3.1.6. Quality Control of RNA Samples for Microarray by Q-PCR
To evaluate the quality of an RNA sample for microarray experiments by
Q-PCR, we usually measure the expression of three housekeeping genes(Gapd, β-actin, and Tbp) as internal controls, and of three clock genes (Per2,

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Table 1
Outline of Affymetrix GeneChip Expression Analysis Protocol
Day 1
Preparation of double-stranded cDNA (Subheading 3.2.1.)
First-strand cDNA synthesis
Second-strand cDNA synthesis
Cleanup of double-stranded cDNA
Day 2
Preparation of biotin-labeled cRNA (Subheading 3.2.2.)
Synthesis of biotin-labeled cRNA
Cleanup of biotin-labeled cRNA
Fragmentation of cRNA
Hybridization (see Subheading 3.2.3.)
Preparation of hybridization cocktail
Hybridization of probe array
Day 3
Stain and wash (Subheading 3.2.4.)
Scan and analysis (Subheading 3.2.5.)

2h
2.5 h
1.5 h

5h
1h
1h
0.5 h
0.5 h
1.5 h/4 arrays
0.5 h/1 array

Cry1, and Bmal1) as positive controls of circadian expression. We first check
whether the expression of the housekeeping genes is really constant or if thereis rather a noticeable difference among samples. We usually observe that theexpression of at least one of the above genes shows less than a twofold difference among samples. For example, we usually use Tbp or Gapd as an internal
control for expression analysis of mouse liver. Conversely, β-actin shows morethan a twofold variation in this tissue. We then confirm the rhythmic expression of Per2, Cry1, and Bmal1 and their sequential phase of expression in thisorder.

3.2. Genome-Wide Expression Profiling With Microarrays
After the quality check, the samples can be used for microarray experiments.
The major steps using Affymetrix GeneChip Expression Analysis are highlighted in Table 1. A brief outline of the protocol follows below.
1. On the first and second days of the microarray experiment, total RNA is isolated
from tissue or cells and used to produce double-stranded cDNA (Subheading
3.2.1.; see Note 9). An in vitro transcription reaction is then performed to produce biotin-labeled cRNA from the cDNA (Subheading 3.2.2.).
2. At the end of second day, the cRNA is fragmented and a hybridization cocktail isprepared, which includes fragmented cRNA, probe array control, BSA, and herring sperm DNA. This cocktail is then hybridized to the probe array during a 16-h
incubation (Subheading 3.2.3.).

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3. On the third day of the experiment, immediately after hybridization, the probearray undergoes an automated washing and staining protocol on the fluidics station (Subheading 3.2.4.).
4. Finally, the probe array is scanned and images are stored in separate files identified by the experiment name and are saved with a data file (.dat) extension. Data
are analyzed, using Microarray Suite, for probe intensity; results are reported intabular and graphical formats (Subheading 3.2.5.).

3.2.1. Preparation of Double-Stranded cDNA
3.2.1.1. FIRST-STRAND CDNA SYNTHESIS
1. Mix the following components:
a. Total RNA sample: 5.0 to 10.0 µg.
b. T7-(dT)24 primer (100 pmol/mL): 1 µL.
c. DEPC-treated H2O: to 12 µL final volume.
2. Incubate for 10 min at 70°C.
3. Cool the sample at 4°C for at least 2 min.
4. Add the following first-strand master mix:
a. 5X first-strand reaction buffer: 4 µL.
b. DTT (0.1 M): 2 µL.
c. dNTP mix (10 mM): 1 µL.
5. Incubate for 2 min at 42°C.
6. Add 1 µL of Super Script II (200 U/µL) to each RNA sample for a final volumeof 20 µL.
7. Incubate for 1.5 h at 42°C.

3.2.1.2. SECOND-STRAND CDNA SYNTHESIS
1. Add 130 µL of the following second-strand master mix to each 20-µL first-strand
synthesis sample for a total volume of 150 µL.
a. 5X Second-strand buffer: 30 µL.
b. dNTP mix (10 mM): 3 µL.
c. DNA ligase (10 U/µL): 1 µL.
d. DNA polymerase I (10 U/µL): 4 µL.
e. RNaseH (2 U/µL): 1 µL.
f. DEPC-treated water: 91 µL.
2. Incubate for 2 h at 16°C in a cooling water bath.
3. Add 2 µL of T4 DNA polymerase (5 U/µL) for blunting.
4. Incubate for 5 min at 16°C in a cooling water bath.
5. Stop the reaction by adding 10 µL of 0.5 M EDTA (final volume 162 µL).

3.2.1.3. DOUBLE-STRANDED CDNA CLEANUP
1. Add 162 µL of phenol:chloroform:isoamyl alcohol (25:24:1) to the doublestranded cDNA sample for a total volume of 324 µL.

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2. Mix briefly by vortexing.
3. Centrifuge for 5 min at maximum speed (>12,000g).
4. Transfer the aqueous upper phase to a fresh 1.5-mL tube.
5. Add 1 µL glycogen, 80 µL of 7.5 M NH4Ac, and 400 µL of 99.5% ethanol (stored
at –20°C) and mix by vortexing.
6. Centrifuge for 20 min at maximum speed (>12,000g) at room temperature.
7. Remove the supernatant. Wash the pellet with 0.5 mL of 80% ethanol (stored at–20°C).
8. Centrifuge for 10 min at maximum speed (>12,000g) at room temperature.
9. Remove the 80% ethanol very carefully.
10. Repeat the 80% ethanol wash, steps 7–9.
11. Air-dry the pellet.
12. Resuspend the pellet in 12 µL of DEPC-treated H2O.
13. Store at –20°C.
14. Check 1 µL of the cDNA by electrophoresis on a 1% agarose gel (TAE or TBE).

3.2.2. Preparation of Biotin-Labeled cRNA
3.2.2.1. SYNTHESIS OF BIOTIN-LABELED CRNA

We usually use the Enzo BioArray HighYield RNA Transcript Labeling Kit
in this step.
1. Mix the following components:a. Template cDNA: 10 µL.
b. DEPC-treated H2O: 12 µL.
c. 10X HY reaction buffer: 4 µL.
d. 10X biotin-labeled ribonucleotides: 4 µL.
e. 10X DTT: 4 µL.
f. 10X RNAse inhibitor mix: 4 µL.
g. 20X T7 RNA polymerase: 2 µL.
2. Incubate immediately for 5 to 6 h at 37°C. Gently mix the contents by tappingand spin down every 1 to 1.5 h during the incubation.

3.2.2.2. CLEAN UP OF BIOTIN-LABELED CRNA

We usually use the QIAGEN RNeasy mini kit in this step.
1. Add 60 µL of DEPC-treated H2O to the cRNA sample (40 µL) for a total volumeof 100 µL.
2. Add 350 µL of buffer RLT to the cRNA sample and mix thoroughly.
3. Add 250 µL of 95 to 100% ethanol to the cRNA sample and mix thoroughly by
pipetting.
4. Transfer the cRNA sample (700 µL) to the RNeasy mini column.
5. Centrifuge for 15 s at more than 12,000g.
6. Reapply the flow-through onto the RNeasy mini column.
7. Centrifuge for 15 s at more than 12,000g and discard the flow-through.

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8. Transfer the RNeasy column into a new 2-mL collection tube.
9. Add 500 µL of buffer RPE to the RNeasy column.
10. Centrifuge for 15 s at more than 12,000g. Discard the flow-through.
11. Add another 500 µL of buffer RPE to the RNeasy column.
12. Centrifuge for 2 min at maximum speed.
13. Transfer the RNeasy column to a new 1.5-mL collection tube.
14. Add 30 µL of RNase-free H2O to the RNeasy column (directly to the silica-gel
membrane).
15. Wait for 1 min and centrifuge for 1 min at more than 12,000g.
16. Measure the concentration of biotin-labeled cRNA with a spectrophotometer. The
concentration of biotin-labeled cRNA should be more than 0.6 µg/µL.
17. Check 0.5 to 1 µg of biotin-labeled cRNA by electrophoresis on a 1% agarose gel(TAE or TBE).

3.2.2.3. CRNA FRAGMENTATION
1. The suggested fragmentation reaction mix for cRNA sample at a final concentration of 0.5 µg/µL is shown below.
Components

49 Format(standard) array

100 Format(midi) array

Biotin-labeled cRNA sample
5X Fragmentation buffer
DEPC-treated H2O

20 µg (1–21 µL)
8 µL
To 40 µL final volume

15 µg (1–21 µL)
6 µL
To 30 µL final volume

2. Incubate for 35 min at 94°C. Put on ice immediately afterward.
3. Check the fragmentation of the cRNA by electrophoresis on a 1% agarose gel(TAE or TBE).

3.2.3. Hybridization
3.2.3.1. PREPARATION OF HYBRIDIZATION COCKTAIL
1. Mix the following components to prepare the hybridization cocktail. The final
concentration of the fragmented biotin-labeled cRNA is fixed at 0.05 µg/µL.
Components
Fragmented biotin-labeled cRNAControl oligonucleotide B2 (3 nM)
20X Eukaryotic hybridization controls
Herring sperm DNA (10 mg/mL)
Acetylated BSA (50 mg/mL)
2X Hybridization buffer
DEPC-treated water

49 Format(standard) array

100 Format(midi) array

15 µg
5 µL
15 µL
3 µL
3 µL
150 µLTo final volumeof 300 µL

10 µg
3.3 µL
10 µL
2 µL
2 µL
100 µLTo final volumeof 200 µL

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2. Incubate at 99°C for 5 min in a heat block.
3. Incubate at 45°C for 5 min.
4. Spin the hybridization cocktail at maximum speed for 5 min to remove any
insoluble material from the hybridization mixture.
5. The hybridization cocktail can be stored at –80°C.

3.2.3.2. HYBRIDIZATION OF PROBE ARRAY
1. Equilibrate the probe array at room temperature immediately before use.
2. Fill the array with an appropriate volume of 1X hybridization buffer (200 µL for
standard array, 130 µL for midi array, 80 µL for mini/micro array) and incubate
at 45°C for 10 min in a hybridization oven with rotation at 60 rpm.
3. Remove the 1X hybridization buffer.
4. Fill the array with an appropriate volume (as above) of hybridization cocktail. If
the hybridization cocktail has been stored at –80°C, it is necessary to incubate at
99°C for 5 min and at 45°C for 5 min before use.
5. Hybridize in the oven at 45°C for 16 h at 60 rpm.

3.2.4. Stain and Wash (Third Day)
In this section, we describe the stain and wash procedures using GeneChip
Operating Software (GCOS), GeneChip Fluidics Station 400, and Affymetrix
GeneChip Scanner 3000.
3.2.4.1. SYSTEM SETUP
1. Turn on the workstation, Fluidics Station, and GeneChip Scanner.
2. Start GCOS (e.g., select “Start/Programs/Affymetrix/GeneChip Operating Software”) from the workstation.
3. Select “Run/Fluidics” from the menu bar of GCOS to open the Fluidics Station
dialog box.
4. To prime the fluidics station, select “Protocol” in the Fluidics Station dialog box
and choose “Prime.”
5. Change the intake buffer reservoir A to “Non-stringent Wash Buffer” (wash bufferA) and intake buffer reservoir B to “Stringent Wash Buffer” (wash buffer B).
6. In GCOS, select the “All Modules” check box, and then click “Run.”
7. Exchange tubes according to the instruction by the LCD window on each moduleof the fluidics station.

3.2.4.2. ENTER EXPERIMENT INFORMATION

To wash, stain and scan a probe array, an experiment must be registered in
GCOS.
1. Select “Run/Experiment info” from the menu bar to open new experiment information.

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2. Input the fields of experimental information including “Experimental Name,”“Probe Array Type,” “Sample Name,” “Sample Type,” and “Project.” “Sample
name” is especially important as it is used as a saved file name.
3. Select “File/Save” from the menu bar to save experiment information.

3.2.4.3. PROBE ARRAY WASH AND STAIN
1. After 16 h of hybridization, remove the hybridization cocktail from the probearray and transfer to a new 1.5-mL tube (reusable if stored at –80°C).
2. Fill the probe array with 200 to 250 µL of nonstringent wash buffer (wash buffer A).
3. Prepare 1200 µL of SAPE stain solution (stains 1 and 3) and 600 µL of antibody
solution (stain 2).
4. In the Fluidics Station dialog box on the workstation, select the correct experiment name in the “Experiment” drop-down list. The probe array type will appear
automatically.
5. In the “Protocol” drop-down list, select the appropriate antibody amplification
protocol to control the washing and staining of the probe array format being used
(e.g.. choose EukGE-WS2vX for Standard Array).
6. Choose “Run” in the Fluidics Station dialog box to begin washing and staining.
7. Insert the probe array into the designated module of the fluidics station.
8. Engage the probe array and exchange tubes according to the instructions on the
LCD window on each module of the fluidics station.

3.2.5. Scan and Analysis
3.2.5.1. PROBE ARRAY SCAN AND DATA ANALYSIS
1. After washing and staining, remove the probe array from the fluidics station. If
you are unable to scan the arrays immediatly, keep the probe array at 4°C and indark conditions until ready for scanning.
2. Select “Run/Scanner” from the menu bar to open the scanner dialog box.
3. Select the experiment name that corresponds to the probe array to be scanned
from the “Experiment Name” drop-down list.
4. Once the experiment has been selected, click the “Start” button.
5. Load the probe array into the scanner according to the message on a dialog box.
Click “OK” in the Start Scanner dialog box.
6. After scanning, check the grid alignment at the four corners.
7. Select “Run/Analysis” from the menu bar to analyze the scanned image file.
8. Verify the .chp file name, edit if necessary, and click “OK.”
9. Verify the “Probe Array Type” in the subsequent pop-up “Expression Analysis
Settings” window, Click “OK” to begin analysis and generate the analysis results
file (.chp).
10. After analysis, select “File/Save” from the menu bar. The displayed data can besaved as a text file and used for the subsequent analysis.

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3.2.5.2. SHUTTING DOWN THE FLUIDICS STATION
1. After washing and staining, change the intake buffer reservoir A and B to “DD
Water ”
2. Select “Shutdown” for all modules from the drop-down “Protocol” list in the
Fluidics Station dialog box. .
3. Click the “Run” button for all modules.

4. Notes
1. The most reliable quality test for primers is to perform Q-PCR using several
dilutions of genomic DNA (and water as a negative control) to demonstrate alinear relationship between quantity of template and amplification. We also usually check the dissociation curve for each primer set. Typically, 60 to 80% of theprimers give satisfactory results. If you have to design a new primer pair becauseof a failure in this quality test and have difficulty in designing new primers witha standard parameter set described above, please design new primers by changing the “Min Length” or the DNA sequence used for primer design.
2. Mouse genomic DNA (0.1 ng) corresponds to about 333.33 copies.
3. Before you can use a plate document to run a plate, it must be configured with
detector information (e.g., SYBR Green double-stranded DNA binding dye I) for
all assays present on the plate.
4. You must assign a “task” to the detectors applied to each well of the plate document that defines their specific purpose on the plate: “Unknown” for cDNA
samples, “Standard” for genomic DNA standards, and “NTC” for negative control wells.
5. During a run, the SDS software controls the instrument based on the instructions
encoded in the routine of the plate document. The procedure described from 21 to
31 shows how to configure the basic features of the routine: thermal cycler conditions, sample volume, and data collection options.
6. When selected, the SDS software reduces the ramp rate of the 7900HT instrument to match that of the ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System instrument.
7. The overall PCR cycle is as follows: 95°C 10 min: (95°C for 15 s, 59°C for 1 min)for 45 cycles.
8. The dissociation stage is added at the end of the PCR run. The amplified DNA is
dissociated by increasing temperature and the process is monitored in real time
as a decrease in fluorescence. As each double-stranded DNA produces its own
dissociation profile (resulting in a single peak in the dissociation plot), this technique highlights the presence of primer dimers or nonspecific PCR products.
9. If only a small amount of RNA is available, we recommend the Two-Cycle Target Labeling Assay method (Affymetrix).

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Acknowledgment
We would like to thank Dr. Douglas Sipp and Dr. Michael Royle for proofreading and Dr. Ezio Rosato for editing of this manuscript.
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