David L. Barker

Whole-genome genotyping with the single-base extension assay.

We describe an efficient, accurate and robust whole-genome genotyping (WGG) assay based on a two-color, single-base extension (SBE), single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-scoring step. We report genotyping results for biallelic International HapMap quality control (QC) SNPs using a single probe per locus. We show scalability, throughput and accuracy of the system by resequencing homozygous loci from our 100k Human-1 Genotyping BeadChip.

Illumina universal bead arrays.

This chapter describes an accurate, scalable, and flexible microarray technology. It includes a miniaturized array platform where each individual feature is quality controlled and a versatile assay that can be adapted for various genetic analyses, such as single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, DNA methylation detection, and gene expression profiling. This chapter describes the concept of the BeadArray technology, two different Array of Arrays formats, the assay scheme and protocol, the performance of the system, and its use in large-scale genetic, epigenetic, and expression studies.

Differential Allelic Expression in the Human Genome: A Robust Approach To Identify Genetic and Epigenetic Cis-Acting Mechanisms Regulating Gene Expression

The recent development of whole genome association studies has lead to the robust identification of several loci involved in different common human diseases. Interestingly, some of the strongest signals of association observed in these studies arise from non-coding regions located in very large introns or far away from any annotated genes, raising the possibility that these regions are involved in the etiology of the disease through some unidentified regulatory mechanisms. These findings highlight the importance of better understanding the mechanisms leading to inter-individual differences in gene expression in humans. Most of the existing approaches developed to identify common regulatory polymorphisms are based on linkage/association mapping of gene expression to genotypes. However, these methods have some limitations, notably their cost and the requirement of extensive genotyping information from all the individuals studied which limits their applications to a specific cohort or tissue. Here we describe a robust and high-throughput method to directly measure differences in allelic expression for a large number of genes using the Illumina Allele-Specific Expression BeadArray platform and quantitative sequencing of RT-PCR products. We show that this approach allows reliable identification of differences in the relative expression of the two alleles larger than 1.5-fold (i.e., deviations of the allelic ratio larger than 60∶40) and offers several advantages over the mapping of total gene expression, particularly for studying humans or outbred populations. Our analysis of more than 80 individuals for 2,968 SNPs located in 1,380 genes confirms that differential allelic expression is a widespread phenomenon affecting the expression of 20% of human genes and shows that our method successfully captures expression differences resulting from both genetic and epigenetic cis-acting mechanisms.

Quantitative Gene Expression Profiling in Formalin- Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissues Using Universal Bead Arrays

We recently developed a sensitive and flexible gene expression profiling system that is not dependent on an intact poly-A tail and showed that it could be used to analyze degraded RNA samples. We hypothesized that the DASL (cDNA-mediated annealing, selection, extension and ligation) assay might be suitable for the analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, an important source of archival tissue material. We now show that, using the DASL assay system, highly reproducible tissue- and cancer-specific gene expression profiles can be obtained with as little as 50 ng of total RNA isolated from formalin-fixed tissues that had been stored from 1 to over 10 years. Further, tissue- and cancer-specific markers derived from previous genome-wide expression profiling studies of fresh-frozen samples were validated in the formalin-fixed samples. The DASL assay system should prove useful for high-throughput expression profiling of archived clinical samples.

New insights into the biology and origin of mature aggressive B-cell lymphomas by combined epigenomic, genomic, and transcriptional profiling

Lymphomas are assumed to originate at different stages of lymphocyte development through chromosomal aberrations. Thus, different lymphomas resemble lymphocytes at distinct differentiation stages and show characteristic morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features. Here, we have performed a microarray-based DNA methylation profiling of 83 mature aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (maB-NHLs) characterized for their morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional features, including molecular Burkitt lymphomas and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Hierarchic clustering indicated that methylation patterns in maB-NHLs were not strictly associated with morphologic, genetic, or transcriptional features. By supervised analyses, we identified 56 genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes studied and 22 methylated in a lymphoma subtype-specific manner. Remarkably, the group of genes de novo methylated in all lymphoma subtypes was significantly enriched for polycomb targets in embryonic stem cells. De novo methylated genes in all maB-NHLs studied were expressed at low levels in lymphomas and normal hematopoietic tissues but not in nonhematopoietic tissues. These findings, especially the enrichment for polycomb targets in stem cells, indicate that maB-NHLs with different morphologic, genetic, and transcriptional background share a similar stem cell-like epigenetic pattern. This suggests that maB-NHLs originate from cells with stem cell features or that stemness was acquired during lymphomagenesis by epigenetic remodeling.

Whole‐Genome Genotyping

We have developed an array-based whole-genome genotyping (WGG) assay (Infinium) using our BeadChip platform that effectively enables unlimited multiplexing and unconstrained single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selection. A single tube whole-genome amplification reaction is used to amplify the genome, and loci of interest are captured by specific hybridization of amplified gDNA to 50-mer probe arrays. After target capture, SNPs are genotyped on the array by a primer extension reaction in the presence of hapten-labeled nucleotides. The resultant signal is amplified during staining and the array is read out on a high-resolution confocal scanner. We have employed our high-density BeadChips supporting up to 288,000 bead types to create an array that can query over 100,000 SNPs using the Infinium assay. In addition, we have developed an automated BeadChip processing platform using Tecans GenePaint slide processing system. Hybridization, washing, array-based primer extension, and staining are performed directly in Tecans capillary gap Te-Flow chambers. This automation process increases assay robustness and throughput greatly while enabling laboratory information management system control of sample tracking.

Genome wide profiling of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), their derivatives and embryonal carcinoma cells to develop base profiles of U.S. Federal government approved hESC lines

BackgroundIn order to compare the gene expression profiles of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines and their differentiated progeny and to monitor feeder contaminations, we have examined gene expression in seven hESC lines and human fibroblast feeder cells using Illumina® bead arrays that contain probes for 24,131 transcript probes.ResultsA total of 48 different samples (including duplicates) grown in multiple laboratories under different conditions were analyzed and pairwise comparisons were performed in all groups. Hierarchical clustering showed that blinded duplicates were correctly identified as the closest related samples. hESC lines clustered together irrespective of the laboratory in which they were maintained. hESCs could be readily distinguished from embryoid bodies (EB) differentiated from them and the karyotypically abnormal hESC line BG01V. The embryonal carcinoma (EC) line NTera2 is a useful model for evaluating characteristics of hESCs. Expression of subsets of individual genes was validated by comparing with published databases, MPSS (Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing) libraries, and parallel analysis by microarray and RT-PCR.Conclusionwe show that Illuminas bead array platform is a reliable, reproducible and robust method for developing base global profiles of cells and identifying similarities and differences in large number of samples.

Mining the human genome using microarrays of open reading frames.

To test the hypothesis that the human genome project will uncover many genes not previously discovered by sequencing of expressed sequence tags (ESTs), we designed and produced a set of microarrays using probes based on open reading frames (ORFs) in 350 Mb of finished and draft human sequence. Our approach aims to identify all genes directly from genomic sequence by querying gene expression. We analysed genomic sequence with a suite of ORF prediction programs, selected approximately one ORF per gene, amplified the ORFs from genomic DNA and arrayed the amplicons onto treated glass slides. Of the first 10,000 arrayed ORFs, 31% are completely novel and 29% are similar, but not identical, to sequences in public databases. Approximately one-half of these are expressed in the tissues we queried by microarray. Subsequent verification by other techniques confirmed expression of several of the novel genes. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) have yielded vast amounts of data, but our results indicate that many genes in the human genome will only be found by genomic sequencing.

Wall coating for DNA sequencing and fragment analysis by capillary electrophoresis

In capillary electrophoresis, covering the inner capillary surface with a coating is an efficient way to minimize both the electroosmotic flow and sorption of w analytes on the capillary wall. We modified the procedure by Cobb et al. Anal. . x Chem. 62, 2478 1990 for preparing wall coating to permit large-scale production. Specifically, we use a positive pressure to fill the capillary with both thionyl chloride and later vinylmagnesium bromide solution. This enables large-scale production of the coating by treating 100 m capillary pieces at a time. We found that no extensive flushing with either organic solvents or sodium hydroxide is needed before the reactions are performed. Application of liquid thionyl chloride with positive pressure scavenges residual humidity on the capillary surface and eliminates a need for extensive drying of the capillary. In the polymerization step, elimination of TEMED from the polymerization mixture and incubation at 708C enables a homogeneous coating to be prepared in capillaries as long as 100 m. The prepared wall coating is stable for approximately 110 runs of DNA sequencing in a denaturing matrix and over 300 runs of DNA fragment analysis under nondenatur- ing conditions. Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 10: 175)184, 1998

Self-assembled random arrays: high-performance imaging and genomics applications on a high-density microarray platform

Illumina is developing a BeadArrayTM technology that supports SNP genotyping, mRNA expression analysis and protein expression analysis on the same platform. We use fiber-optic bundles with a density of approximately 40,000 fibers/mm2. At hte end of each fiber, a derivatized silica bead forms an array element for reading out a genotyping or expression assay data point. Each bead contains oligonucleotide probes that hybridize with high specificity to complementary sequences in a complex nucleic acid mixture. We derivatize the beads in bulk, pool them to form a quality-controlled source of microarray elements, and allow them to assemble spontaneously into pits etched into the end of each optical fiber bundle. We load our fiber bundles, containing 49,777 fibers, with up to 1520 different bead types. The presence of many beads of each type greatly improves the accuracy of each assay. As the final step in our manufacturing process, we decode the identity of each bead by a series of rapid hybridizations with fluroescent oligos. Decoding accuracy and the number of beads of each type is recorded for each array. Decoding also serves as a quality control procedure for the performance of each element in the array. To facilitate high-throughput analysis of many samples, the fiber bundles are arranged in an array matrix (SentrixTM arrays). Using a 96-bundle array matrix, up to 1520 assays can be performed on each of 96 samples simultaneously for a total of 145,920 assays. Using a 384-bundle array matrix, up to 583,680 assays can be performed simultaneously. The BeadArray platform is the highest density microarray in commercial use, requiring development of a high-performance array scanner. To meet this need, we developed the SherlockTM system, a laser-scanning confocal imaging system that automatically scans all 96 bundles of an array matrix at variable resolution down to 0.8 micron. The system scans with both 532 and 635 nm lasers simultaneously, collecting two fluorescence images. The optical train is designed around a telecentric, flat field, macro scan lens with a field of view of 2 mm. Our BeadArray platform is adaptable to many different assays. In our genotyping services lab, we automated the development and production of highly multiplexed SNP genotyping assays. Each SNP call is made automatically and assigned a quality score based on objective measures of allele clustering across multiple samples. The quality score correlates directly with genotyping accuracy. With a small number of robots and thermal cyclers, and a team of 5 people, we have the capacity to perform over 1 million genotypes per day. The system is modular so that scale-up is limited only by demand. The system has the capacity, versatility, and cost structure to meet the needs of large-scale genomic analysis.