FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Microarrays
Q. How do you print microarrays?
A. Our microarrays are printed with a BioRobotics MicroGrid II and a Genetix Qarray2.
For more information: Protocols » Robotic Spotting
For more information: Facility » Equipment » Qarray2
For more information: Facility » Equipment » MicroGrid II 610
Q. What types of microarray are you currently printing?
A. We are printing cDNA-PCR amplicon, transcript-specific long oligonucleotide, and genome tile microarrays.
For more information: Services » Core Drosophila Microarrays
For more information: Services » Analysis » Downloads
Q. Are you able to print microarrays for groups that do not work with Drosophila?
A. We can and do print microarrays for researchers who do not work with Drosophila.
For more information: Services » Printing Custom Microarrays
Q. Can you perform microarray experiments using microarrays that you have not made yourself?
A. We would be happy to perform experiments using microarrays that have been manufactured by other people.
Q. How many Drosophila transcripts (or genes) are included in your microarrays?
A. This is dependent on the microarray format and is described by this web site.
For more information: Services » Core Drosophila Microarrays
For more information: Services » Analysis » Downloads
Q. How do I know what each spot in the microarray is?
A. Our microarrays are described in detail by this web site and these pages include links to a range of files that fully document what probe is present in every spot of the microarray.
For more information: Services » Core Drosophila Microarrays
For more information: Services » Analysis » Downloads
For more information: Protocols » Robotic Spotting » Standard Spot Mapping File Formats
Q. What controls are included in the microarrays that you print?
A. This is dependent on the microarray format.
For more information: Services » Core Drosophila Microarrays
For more information: Services » Analysis » Downloads
Q. We have noticed that a couple of genes that we are particularly interested in do not appear in the results files. Could you please explain why?
A. This could be due one (or more) of the following reasons:
1. The genes are not present in the library that was used to print this microarray format (perhaps true for cDNA arrays)
2. The pin failed to print these probes (rare)
3. The gene you refer to is either not expressed or only weakly expressed (most likely)
For more information: Services » Core Drosophila Microarrays
For more information: Protocols » Robotic Spotting
For more information: Services » Analysis » Downloads
