title: A dynamic approach to mapping coordinates between microplates and microarrays.
abstract: The retrieval of useful data from spotted microarray slides requires keeping track of which microplate wells and DNA sample corresponds to each spot on each array slide. Existing approaches are closely coupled with the type of arrayer in use and are computer operating-system-specific. To support the microarray researcher community at large who use different arrayers and computer platforms, increased flexibility, generality, and portability of these approaches are required. In this paper, we describe a general algorithm that correlates the well positions of DNA samples in each microplate to the positions of the spots on each array slide. Based on this algorithm, we have implemented a flexible and platform-independent program named MicroArray Convolutor (MAC) that provides a Web solution allowing the user to: (a) import a text file that identifies the DNA samples and their well locations, (b) select a transformation method that converts data in 96-well plate format into 384-well plate format, and (c) specify the output format of the array lists dependant on the configuration of the array platform as well as the downstream analysis software chosen for the array. MAC and its source code can be accessed via the following Web address: http://ymd.med.yale.edu/kei-cgi/kc_mac_dev8.pl.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. kei.cheung@yale.edu
authors.forename: Kei-Hoi
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hager
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Yuli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D023281:Genomics; D020407:Internet; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D012371:Robotics