The new technology measures phenotypic changes using cell respiration as a universal reporter. Researchers can use PMs to define the effects of gene knockouts or drug exposure on various cellular pathways. Identifying cellular phenotypes can also help scientists understand the pathology of disease. Currently, PMs can test the phenotypes of bacterial and fungal cells, but Biolog scientists have begun development of PMs for human cells as well. The company ultimately intends to offer researchers the ability to scan 2,000 different phenotypes with these arrays.
Bochner published results on the reliability of the PM technology in the July issue of Genome Research.1 In one example cited in the study he tested a strain of Escherichia coli that had its xylose catabolic gene inactivated. Placing these cells on a PM designed to test carbon catabolic functions, the xylose test well failed to turn purple, as expected. However, so did the wells for ...
