- Q. Why should my
organization choose ArrayXpress?
A. There are four primary reasons for choosing
ArrayXpress. (1) Quality. We provide the highest quality microarray
results (raw data and analysis) in the industry. If you have
ever wasted your time, effort and money pursuing false positives,
you understand the importance of quality results. (2) Cost.
Due to cost savings associated with our proprietary methods
and techniques of performing microarray experiments, we are
able to provide services to our customers for less than they
can find elsewhere (even in-house). Additionally, we save you
the significant costs associated with chasing false positive
results generated by poor quality microarray procedures. (3)
Complete Solution. ArrayXpress offers the first end-to-end microarray
service. From experimental design to data analysis, we are the
one-stop shop for all of your microarray needs. (4) Custom Projects.
We work with any size experiment, any type of organism and any
microarray method your desire. Custom projects can include oligos,
cDNA, non-model organisms, commercial chip sets, large-scale
experiments or targeted arrays. Whatever your microarray needs,
we can help.
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Q. Can you give a brief technical overview
of microarrays?
A. A microarray is typically a glass (or
some other material) slide, onto which DNA molecules are attached
at fixed locations (spots). There may be tens of thousands of
spots on an array, each containing a huge number of identical
DNA molecules (or fragments of identical molecules), of lengths
from twenty to hundreds of nucleotides. The spots are either
printed on the microarrays by a robot, or synthesized by photolithography
(similarly as in computer chip productions) or by ink-jet printing.
The total mRNA from the cells in two different
conditions is extracted and labeled with two different fluorescent
labels: for example a green dye for cells at condition 1 and
a red dye for cells at condition 2 (to be more accurate, the
labeling is typically done by synthesizing single stranded DNAs
that are complementary to the extracted mRNA by a enzyme called
reverse transcriptase). Both extracts are washed over the microarray.
Labeled gene products from the extracts hybridize to their complementary
sequences in the spots due to the preferential binding - complementary
single stranded nucleic acid sequences tend to attract to each
other and the longer the complementary parts, the stronger the
attraction.
The dyes enable the amount of sample bound
to a spot to be measured by the level of fluorescence emitted
when it is excited by a laser. If the RNA from the sample in
condition 1 is in abundance, the spot will be green, if the
RNA from the sample in condition 2 is in abundance, it will
be red. If both are equal, the spot will be yellow, while if
neither is present it will not fluoresce and appear black. Thus,
from the fluorescence intensities and colors for each spot,
the relative expression levels of the genes in both samples
can be estimated.
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Q. Is your intellectual property really unique?
A. Yes, while microarray technology has
become fairly well established over the past several years,
we have discovered methods for performing several crucial steps
in a microarray procedure that can dramatically improve the
quality of the results (and lower costs). We have filed multiple
patents to protect this intellectual property.
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Q. Why should my organization outsource its
microarray work?
A. Outsourcing allows your organization
to focus on its core competency (which usually does not include
being a master of microarray procedures). ArrayXpress is focused
solely on providing the highest quality microarray services
to our customers and giving you what you really want –
results (specifically, the analysis of the data generated during
the microarray experiment). Our scientific team can do all of
the “heavy lifting” associated with performing microarray
experiments for you and deliver the industry's best results,
all at a lower cost than your organization could do in-house.
We take no ownership interest in your intellectual property
– anything at all associated with the underlying biology
is completely yours. Thus, there is no need for your organization
to invest in capital intensive equipment, raw materials, and
capable scientists and personnel. Outsourcing your work gives
your organization all the benefits of microarray technology
without the headaches, plus allows you to focus on other vital
functions that will allow your company to keep its competitive
edge.
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Q. What services does ArrayXpress provide?
A. ArrayXpress provides a complete microarray
service. We design customized microarray experiments to fit
your organization’s needs, use our proprietary methods
and techniques to perform all wet lab work associated with the
experiments, and analyze the data using statistical algorithms
developed by SAS institute specifically for microarrays.
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Q. Does ArrayXpress only offer an end-to-end
solution, or can you handle a specific portion of the process?
A. While ArrayXpress does offer a complete
microarray solution, we also perform specific services on an
a la carte basis. ArrayXpress can assist you with any portion
of the process.
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Q. How much do you charge for your services?
A. It truly depends on the type of experiment
and services you need. There are many factors that affect the
price of a specific experiment. However, we pride ourselves
on being the low cost, high quality provider of microarray services.
Please contact us to receive a quote on a specific project.
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Q. What organisms/gene sets do you work with?
A. In short, we can work with any organism
and gene set. We are currently working with multiple gene sets
-- some of which are privately owned and others that are commercially
available.
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Q. Can I get a sample array?
A. Under certain conditions we do provide
sample arrays to our prospective customers. If you are interested,
please contact us to discuss this further.
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Q. How do I order?
A. Simply contact us to discuss your specific
needs.
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Q. Where is ArrayXpress located?
A. We are located on Centennial Campus in
Raleigh, North Carolina. Our mailing address is:
ArrayXpress, Inc.
840 Main Campus Drive
Suite 3560
Raleigh, NC 27606
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Q. If I submit samples, how big do my samples
have to be?
A. The size of the fresh sample will depend
on the amount of DNA present in the cells. What we will need
is enough to extract 20 micrograms of total RNA.
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Q. How is the data generated during microarray
procedures given to me?
A. Data can be delivered via CD or
over the internet via secure ftp. Data is delivered in JMP format,
or may be delivered as Excel spreadsheet upon request.
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