Microarrays (DNA chips) for the classroom laboratory

Abstract

We have developed and optimized the necessary laboratory materials to make DNA microarray technology accessible to all high school students at a fraction of both cost and data size. The primary component is a DNA chip/array that students "print" by hand and then analyze using research tools that have been adapted for classroom use. The primary adaptation is the use of a simulated cDNA target. The low density DNA array we discuss here was used to demonstrate differential expression of several Arabidopsis thaliana genes related to photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis. The methods we present here can be used with any biological organism whose sequence is known. Furthermore, these methods can be adapted to exhibit a variety of differential gene expression patterns under different experimental conditions. The materials and tools we discuss have been applied in classrooms at West High School in Madison, WI. We have also shared these materials with high school teachers attending professional development courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.