You have access to a DNA microarray for humans. You use that microarray to analy

Question

You have access to a DNA microarray for humans. You use that microarray to analyze samples from several healthy individuals and several individuals affected by an illness that causes them to have trouble metabolizing certain lipids. You feed the subjects a nutrient mixture containing the lipids in question and then collect samples at 4 hour intervals. What could you expect to learn from this experiment? What kind of things does one learn from a DNA microarray in general? What would constitute useful results – i.e. results that gave you a clue as to what to do next? What are the limitations of this kind of analysis?

Explanation / Answer

by feeding subjects lipids we can differentiate between the normal functioning and defected genes. by comparing microarrays of healthy individuals with defected individuals we can get the idea of genes involved in lipid metabolism defects.

DNA microarrays help in the diagnosis of defected cells like cancerous cells. they also help in detection of metabolic defects in an individual like the example given above.

after knowing the defected genes in the individual with lipid metabolism, one can manage medications suitable for the person. like medications improving lipid metabolism as per the defects.

limitations of microarray analysis include:

cross hybridization among sequences

limited knowledge of genetic sequences

comparing expression level across different experiment is not possible.

expensive and require technical background for performing the same.

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