Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence of isoform-sensitive microarrays has helped fuel in-depth studies of the human transcriptome. The Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Array (Exon Array) has been previously shown to be effective in profiling gene expr...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin, Ha Kevin CH, Majewski Jacek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-11-01
Series:BMC Genomics
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/519
_version_ 1811248889177571328
author Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin
Ha Kevin CH
Majewski Jacek
author_facet Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin
Ha Kevin CH
Majewski Jacek
author_sort Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence of isoform-sensitive microarrays has helped fuel in-depth studies of the human transcriptome. The Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Array (Exon Array) has been previously shown to be effective in profiling gene expression at the isoform level. More recently, the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Array (Gene Array) has been released for measuring gene expression and interestingly contains a large subset of probes from the Exon Array. Here, we explore the potential of using Gene Array probes to assess expression variation at the sub-transcript level. Utilizing datasets of the high quality Microarray Quality Control (MAQC) RNA samples previously assayed on the Exon Array and Gene Array, we compare the expression measurements of the two platforms to determine the performance of the Gene Array in detecting isoform variations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, we show that the Gene Array is comparable to the Exon Array in making gene expression calls. Moreover, to examine expression of different isoforms, we modify the Gene Array probe set definition file to enable summarization of probe intensity values at the exon level and show that the expression profiles between the two platforms are also highly correlated. Next, expression calls of previously known differentially spliced genes were compared and also show concordant results. Splicing index analysis, representing estimates of exon inclusion levels, shows a lower but good correlation between platforms. As the Gene Array contains a significant subset of probes from the Exon Array, we note that, in comparison, the Gene Array overlaps with fewer but still a high proportion of splicing events annotated in the Known Alt Events UCSC track, with abundant coverage of cassette exons. We discuss the ability of the Gene Array to detect alternative splicing and isoform variation and address its limitations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Gene Array is an effective expression profiling tool at gene and exon expression level, the latter made possible by probe set annotation modifications. We demonstrate that the Gene Array is capable of detecting alternative splicing and isoform variation. As expected, in comparison to the Exon Array, it is limited by reduced gene content coverage and is not able to detect as wide a range of alternative splicing events. However, for the events that can be monitored by both platforms, we estimate that the selectivity and sensitivity levels are comparable. We hope our findings will shed light on the potential extension of the Gene Array to detect alternative splicing. It should be particularly suitable for researchers primarily interested in gene expression analysis, but who may be willing to look for splicing and isoform differences within their dataset. However, we do not suggest it to be an equivalent substitute to the more comprehensive Exon Array.</p>
first_indexed 2024-04-12T15:35:45Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9568c1e39c6f42c5b6d3e4785ddf3127
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2164
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T15:35:45Z
publishDate 2009-11-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Genomics
spelling doaj.art-9568c1e39c6f42c5b6d3e4785ddf31272022-12-22T03:26:57ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642009-11-0110151910.1186/1471-2164-10-519Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variationCoulombe-Huntington JasminHa Kevin CHMajewski Jacek<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence of isoform-sensitive microarrays has helped fuel in-depth studies of the human transcriptome. The Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST Array (Exon Array) has been previously shown to be effective in profiling gene expression at the isoform level. More recently, the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Array (Gene Array) has been released for measuring gene expression and interestingly contains a large subset of probes from the Exon Array. Here, we explore the potential of using Gene Array probes to assess expression variation at the sub-transcript level. Utilizing datasets of the high quality Microarray Quality Control (MAQC) RNA samples previously assayed on the Exon Array and Gene Array, we compare the expression measurements of the two platforms to determine the performance of the Gene Array in detecting isoform variations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, we show that the Gene Array is comparable to the Exon Array in making gene expression calls. Moreover, to examine expression of different isoforms, we modify the Gene Array probe set definition file to enable summarization of probe intensity values at the exon level and show that the expression profiles between the two platforms are also highly correlated. Next, expression calls of previously known differentially spliced genes were compared and also show concordant results. Splicing index analysis, representing estimates of exon inclusion levels, shows a lower but good correlation between platforms. As the Gene Array contains a significant subset of probes from the Exon Array, we note that, in comparison, the Gene Array overlaps with fewer but still a high proportion of splicing events annotated in the Known Alt Events UCSC track, with abundant coverage of cassette exons. We discuss the ability of the Gene Array to detect alternative splicing and isoform variation and address its limitations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Gene Array is an effective expression profiling tool at gene and exon expression level, the latter made possible by probe set annotation modifications. We demonstrate that the Gene Array is capable of detecting alternative splicing and isoform variation. As expected, in comparison to the Exon Array, it is limited by reduced gene content coverage and is not able to detect as wide a range of alternative splicing events. However, for the events that can be monitored by both platforms, we estimate that the selectivity and sensitivity levels are comparable. We hope our findings will shed light on the potential extension of the Gene Array to detect alternative splicing. It should be particularly suitable for researchers primarily interested in gene expression analysis, but who may be willing to look for splicing and isoform differences within their dataset. However, we do not suggest it to be an equivalent substitute to the more comprehensive Exon Array.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/519
spellingShingle Coulombe-Huntington Jasmin
Ha Kevin CH
Majewski Jacek
Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
BMC Genomics
title Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
title_full Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
title_fullStr Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
title_short Comparison of Affymetrix Gene Array with the Exon Array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
title_sort comparison of affymetrix gene array with the exon array shows potential application for detection of transcript isoform variation
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/519
work_keys_str_mv AT coulombehuntingtonjasmin comparisonofaffymetrixgenearraywiththeexonarrayshowspotentialapplicationfordetectionoftranscriptisoformvariation
AT hakevinch comparisonofaffymetrixgenearraywiththeexonarrayshowspotentialapplicationfordetectionoftranscriptisoformvariation
AT majewskijacek comparisonofaffymetrixgenearraywiththeexonarrayshowspotentialapplicationfordetectionoftranscriptisoformvariation