Microarray-based cell-free DNA analysis improves noninvasive prenatal testing.
Fetal Diagn Ther. 2014 Sep 12. [Epub ahead of print]
Juneau K, et al.
The authors developed a microarray-based method for noninvasive prenatal testing and compared it with next-generation sequencing. Maternal plasma from 878 pregnant women was evaluated for trisomy risk using both approaches. The authors found that NIPT using microarrays provided faster and more accurate cell-free DNA measurements than sequencing.
BioArray News reported on this new method, developed by Ariosa Diagnostics, in last week's issue.
Determination of specific antibody responses to the six species of Ebola and Marburg viruses by multiplexed protein microarrays.
Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2014 Sep 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Kamata T, et al.
The authors assembled a protein microarray displaying NP, VP40, and GP antigens from isolates representing the six species of filoviruses for use as a surveillance and diagnostic platform. Using the microarrays, they examined the serum antibody responses of rhesus vaccinated with trivalent virus-like particles prior to infection with Marburg virus or Zaire Ebola virus. They concluded the array may translate into a sensitive assay for diagnosis and serological surveillance of infections caused by multiple species of filoviruses.
Novel copy-number variants in a population-based investigation of classic heterotaxy.
Genet Med. 2014 Sep 18. [Epub ahead of print]
Rigler S, et al.
The authors genotyped 77 cases of classic heterotaxy, a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder, using a 2.5-million SNP genotyping microarray. They identified 20 rare copy-number variants including a deletion of BMP2 that has been linked to laterality disorders in mice but not previously reported in humans. They also identified a large, terminal deletion of 10q and a microdeletion at 1q23.1 involving the MNDA gene, both of them rare variants suspected to be associated with heterotaxy.