Agilent has released the Earray 5.4 online microarray design tool, which enables users to design custom microRNA (miRNA) microarrays.
Researchers can use Agilent's pre-designed human, mouse or rat miRNA probes, or access miRNA sequences for all 87 species in Sanger 12.0 in the designs of their miRNA microarrays.
Agilent has also updated miRNA Release 12.0, its human and mouse microarrays, which contains the latest probes from Sanger Mirbase 12.0 database.
Like all Agilent miRNA microarrays, these include about 15,000 features and are printed eight-arrays-per-slide.
Earray lets users design custom microarrays by choosing from Agilent-optimised probes, uploading their own sequences or using Earray tools to design new probes.
When the array design is complete, the file is uploaded to Agilent, where the ink-jet-based Sureprint fabrication can print any probes at any location.
Sixty mer oligos provide a high level of sensitivity.
The finished microarrays can be delivered in two weeks.
Earray also lets researchers collaborate on designs from remote locations.
MiRNA molecules are associated with some cancers, heart disease, other disorders and stem-cell differentiation.
