Global analysis of gene expression: methods, interpretation, and pitfalls.
Over the past 15 years, global analysis of mRNA expression has emerged as a powerful strategy for biological discovery. Using the power of parallel processing, robotics, and computer-based informatics, a number of high-throughput methods have been devised. These include DNA microarrays, serial analysis of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR, differential-display RT-PCR, and massively parallel signature sequencing. Each of these methods has inherent advantages and disadvantages, often related to expense, technical difficulty, specificity, and reliability. Further, the ability to generate large data sets of gene expression has led to new challenges in bioinformatics. Nonetheless, this technological revolution is transforming disease classification, gene discovery, and our understanding of regulatory gene networks.
Fryer
Ryan M
RM
Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Randall
Jeffrey
J
Yoshida
Takumi
T
Hsiao
Li-Li
LL
Blumenstock
Joshua
J
Jensen
Katharine E
KE
Dimofte
Tudor
T
Jensen
Roderick V
RV
Gullans
Steven R
SR
D019295:Computational Biology; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*