SBIR Phase II: Expression Pattern Screening for Agriculture Genomics

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will use a novel high throughput platform comprising of many, small gene arrays, contained within the wells of microtiter plates. This platform, termed Multi-Array Plate Screening (MAPS), allows simultaneous testing of the expression of a specific group of genes of interest and appropriate controls using RNA derived from 96 separate samples, within each well of a 96-well plate. MAPS provides the endpoint assay for a high throughput screen, in which investigators can evaluate how different chemical compounds, applied to cells, tissues, or organisms in vivo, affect the expression pattern for the genes of interest.This technology will address an unmet need of the agricultural industry to make efficient use of novel genomics information in a manner that does not require distribution of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the form of transgenic plants. The plants are grown in each well of a 96 well plate to facilitate high-throughput screening. The platform allows facile and efficient testing of gene targets including newly identified genes, and also provides important information about selectivity and specificity. The commercial potential from this project is in the agricultural market.