Microarrays are the preferred format for high-throughput screening applications in genomics, proteomics and more recently glycomics.1-3 Mass analyzers are universal detectors with exceptional sensitivity, dynamic range and resolution and their combination with microarrays, could help remove some important roadblocks in functional genomics, proteomics and glycomics like gene annotation, discovery of new of enzyme functions or receptor specificities. Assay sensitivity, resolution and array stability, however are major challenges for the development of mass spectrometry-compatible microarrays and require a careful match of surface materials, conjugation chemistry and instrumentation for array preparation and analysis. This lecture will describe recently developed new microarray platforms that allow analysis by autoradiography, fluorescence spectroscopy, LDI-Tof-MS and optical microscopy without a change of the format and their applications to a number of important applications in glycomics and glycoproteomics.
(1) Jonkheijm, P.; Weinrich, D.; Schröder, H.; Niemeyer, C. M.; Waldmann, H. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 9618.
(2) Vegas, A. J.; Fuller, J. H.; Koehler, A. N. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2008, 37, 1385.
(3) Rillahan, C. D.; Paulson, J. C. Annu. Rev. Biochem 2011, 80, 797.
