Bob Luton, Greg Kinch, and John Gerace
BioImage 777 E. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite #950, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Tel. 800-246-4624, E-mail; bob_luton@bioimage.com.
Recent advances in laboratory robotics have enabled a large number of cloned vectors from genomic or cDNA libraries to be spotted in a high density grid format on membranes suitable for detection by a specific labeled hybridization probe. Fox example more than 20,000 BAC clones representing part of the total human genome are typically spotted on to a 22x22 cm membrane. This high density of spots makes the identification of positives very tedious if not impossible for the un-aided human eye.
BioImage has developed its High Density Grid (HDG) Analysis Software using a constellation mapping algorithm that enables the use of only three anchor points on a reference image containing all possible positives and overlaying them with multiple study images. Unlike rigid grid methodologies, this method of pattern matching compensates for any distortion or skewing that may occur within a sample array. Each positive is identified with a name that designates a specific point of origin, i.e. source plate and well. Spot name information is automatically propagated to all matched images. The software also provides further characterization by spot quantification. Spot database queries can filter information based on the existence of spots, quantitative ratios of matched spots, spotsū integrated intensity, area, and user-defined spot characteristics.
The BioImage HDG Analysis Software supports direct image acquisition from either a digital scanner or CCD camera. TIFF format image files can also be imported from various sources such as Phosphorimagers, Fluorimagers, or densitometers.
The software will be demonstrated during the designated sessions.