BAC to BAC

Spotting modified DNA directly onto untreated glass surfaces offers an efficient system for identifying genomic abnormalities in tumor samples.

Written byJonathan Weitzman
| 1 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
1:00
Share

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a useful method for detecting chromosomal imbalances in tumor cells. In the April Nature Biotechnology, Wei-Wen Cai and colleagues describe a microarray-based CGH protocol that can reliably identify deletions or amplification in DNA samples from tumors (NatBiotechnol 2002, 20:393-396).

To reduce hybridization background noise they decided to modify the DNA itself, rather than the glass support. Cai et al. used a bifunctional crosslinker with an epoxide group that covalently attaches to DNA, and deposited the modified DNA — in the form of BACs (bacterial artificial chromosomes) — onto unmodified glass slides. Initial tests showed that the BAC arrays were very uniform and could be used for quantitative analysis of heterozygous deletions.

They constructed arrays consisting of almost 1,000 mouse-DNA BACs and examined loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and amplification events in mouse tumors. The BAC technique could detect chromosomal abnormalities at higher resolution than existing methods, ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Share
Illustration of a developing fetus surrounded by a clear fluid with a subtle yellow tinge, representing amniotic fluid.
January 2026

What Is the Amniotic Fluid Composed of?

The liquid world of fetal development provides a rich source of nutrition and protection tailored to meet the needs of the growing fetus.

View this Issue
Human-Relevant In Vitro Models Enable Predictive Drug Discovery

Advancing Drug Discovery with Complex Human In Vitro Models

Stemcell Technologies
Redefining Immunology Through Advanced Technologies

Redefining Immunology Through Advanced Technologies

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance in AAV Manufacturing with Analytical Ultracentrifugation

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance in AAV Manufacturing with Analytical Ultracentrifugation

Beckman Coulter Logo
Skip the Wait for Protein Stability Data with Aunty

Skip the Wait for Protein Stability Data with Aunty

Unchained Labs

Products

Sino Biological Logo

Sino Biological's Launch of SwiftFluo® TR-FRET Kits Pioneers a New Era in High-Throughout Kinase Inhibitor Screening

SPT Labtech Logo

SPT Labtech enables automated Twist Bioscience NGS library preparation workflows on SPT's firefly platform

nuclera logo

Nuclera eProtein Discovery System installed at leading Universities in Taiwan

Brandtech Logo

BRANDTECH Scientific Introduces the Transferpette® pro Micropipette: A New Twist on Comfort and Control