Current Issues in Molecular Biology

852 KiB

Open AccessReview

by Martin Bilban, Lukas K. Buehler, Steven Head, Gernot Desoye and Vito Quaranta

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2002, 4(2), 57-64; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.004.057 - 5 Apr 2002

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 903

DNA microarrays are a powerful tool to investigate differential gene expression for thousands of genes simultaneously. Although DNA microarrays have been widely used to understand the critical events underlying growth, development, homeostasis, behavior and the onset of disease, the management of the resulting data has received little attention. Presently, the fluorescent dyes Cy3 and Cy5 are most often used to prepare labeled cDNA for microarray hybridizations. Raw microarray data are image files that have to be transformed into gene expression formats a process that requires data manipulation due to systematic variations which may be attributed to differences in the physical and chemical dye characteristics. Since the goal of most microarray applications is to identify differences in transcript levels calculated from fluorescence ratios it is necessary to normalize fluorescence signals to compensate for systematic variations. Here, we will review current normalization strategies applied to cDNA microarrays and discuss their limits. We will show that experimental design determines normalization success. Full article

691 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Overview of Toxicogenomics

by Hisham K. Hamadeh, Rupesh P. Amin, Richard S. Paules and Cynthia A. Afshari

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2002, 4(2), 45-56; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.004.045 - 5 Apr 2002

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 817

Abstract

Toxicogenomics is a rapidly developing discipline that promises to aid scientists in understanding the molecular and cellular effects of chemicals in biological systems. This field encompasses global assessment of biological effects using technologies such as DNA microarrays or high throughput NMR and protein expression analysis. This review provides an overview of advancing multiple approaches (genomic, proteomic, metabonomic) that may extend our understanding of toxicology and highlights the importance of coupling such approaches with classical toxicity studies. Full article

693 KiB

Open AccessReview

Chemical Genomics: A Systematic Approach in Biological Research and Drug Discovery

by X.F. Steven Zheng and Ting-Fung Chan

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2002, 4(2), 33-43; https://doi.org/10.21775/cimb.004.033 - 5 Apr 2002

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 714

Abstract

The knowledge of complete sequences of different organisms is dramatically changing the landscape of biological research and pharmaceutical development. We are experiencing a transition from a trial-and-error approach in traditional biological research and natural product drug discovery to a systematic operation in genomics and target-specific drug design and selection. Small, cell-permeable and target-specific chemical ligands are particularly useful in systematic genomic approaches to study biological questions. On the other hand, genomic sequence information, comparative and structural genomics, when combined with the cutting edge technologies in synthetic chemistry and ligand screening/identification, provide a powerful way to produce target-specific and/or function-specific chemical ligands and drugs. Chemical genomics or chemogenomics is a new term that describes the development of target-specific chemical ligands and the use of such chemical ligands to globally study gene and protein functions. We anticipate that chemical genomics plays a critical role in the genomic age of biological research and drug discovery. Full article

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Curr. Issues Mol. Biol., Volume 4, Issue 2 (April 2002) – 3 articles

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