Application of DNA Microarray for Screening Metagenome Library Clones

Sequence-based screening tools of a metagenome library can expedite metagenome researches considering tremendous metagenome diversities. Several critical disadvantages of activity-based screening of metagenome libraries could be overcome by sequence-based screening approaches. DNA microarray technology widely used for monitoring environmental genes can be employed for screening environmental fosmid and BAC clones harboring target genes due to its high throughput nature. DNAs of fosmid clones are extracted and spotted on a glass slide and fluorescence-labeled probes are hybridized to the microarray. Specific hybridization signals can be obtained only for the fosmid clones that contain the target gene with high sensitivity (10 ng/μL of fosmid clone DNA) and quantitativeness.