Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses of Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens

Abstract

DNA microarrays (often interchangeably called DNA chips or DNA arrays) are among the most popular analytical tools for high-throughput comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of foodborne bacterial pathogens. A typical DNA microarray contains hundreds to millions of small DNA probes that are chemically attached (or ” printed”) onto the surface of a microscopic glass slide. Depending on the specific ” printing” and probe synthesis technologies for different microarray platforms, such DNA probes can be PCR amplicons or in situ synthesized short oligonucleotides. DNA microarray technologies have revolutionized the way that we investigate the biology of foodborne bacterial pathogens. The major advantage of these technologies is that DNA microarrays allow comparison of subtle genomic or transcriptomic variations between two bacterial samples, such as genomic variations between two different bacterial strains or transcriptomic alterations of same bacterial strain under two different treatments. Some applications of comparative genomic hybridization microarrays and global gene expression microarrays have been covered in previous chapters of this book.