DNA Microarray Technology: Application to Ecotoxicology

Molecular diagnostic technologies play a significant role in the practice of medicine, public health, pharmaceutical industry and more recently in the environmental field. DNA microarray is one of these significant technologies which has progressed rapidly in the hands of biological researchers for assessing gene expression analysis. On glass slides, thousands of known DNA sequences are spotted or synthesized. Test mRNA is isolated from samples, eventually converted to cDNA or amplified, labeled and then hybridized on the slides. Subsequent computer analysis generates gene expression profiles of samples, the test results leading to hypotheses and conclusions. Microarrays are providing insights into areas such as toxicology, pharmacology and tumorigenesis. The application to Ecotoxicology is still at an early stage but already many applications have been published (T.Lettieri, 2005). Molecular biomarkers offer the possibilities (1) of early detection of environmental stressor, (2) inferred mechanisms of action and (3) improve the monitoring of environmental stressors. We are currently performing DNA Microarray analysis to identify new biomarkers for the detection of chemical stressors in environment.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource