Application of Microarray in Animal Disease Pathogenesis and Diagnosis

Abstract

Microarray is a plethora of multiple genetic data. It is a collection of microscopic spots contains picomoles (10-12 moles) of a specific sequences (DNA, cDNA, cRNA, Oligonucleotides), known as probes. These probes hybridize with specific nucleic acid sequence called targets which are labelled with a fluorescent dye. Hybridization property between nucleotides were utilized in this and the signals produced are scanned and image data is converted to raw data using various softwares. Microarray has number of applications in the area of evolution biology, pathway analysis, toxicogenomics, pharmacogenomics, forensics, oncology and disease diagnostics and characterization. The genes responsible for several stages of cell to cell interaction of pathogens from adhesion to entry into the host cell and evading the host immune mechanism can be studied. Comparative genomic hybridization, not only yield information of individual genes in different tissues (normal or diseased, cancerous or non cancerous cells), but also on the regulation of different genes regulated pathways. Studying the molecular signature of pathogens paves an easy way for their detection. Moreover, these informations are utilized for better diagnostics, vaccine and drug development. Use of microarrays during outbreaks and/or disease surveillance would save time and help in early decisions to control the spread of disease. Thus, microarray proved to be a perfect drive in animal disease diagnostic. In veterinary field only few studies were done to interrogate the gene expression profile and detection of pathogens. While they have the potential, detection microarrays are yet to be used as routine surveillance tools in veterinary because of high sophistication, and cost per test is still high compared to other diagnostic methods. With all these advances many novel techniques born out of this technology with less cost and minimum training will play increasing role in disease diagnosis in near future.