Project Number: 1230-22000-032-07
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Feb 02, 2010
End Date: Dec 31, 2013

Objective:
To demonstrate the ability of an oligonucleotide microarray to detect and differentiate plant viruses from random amplification of plant total nucleic acid extracts, and to provide education, through training, of undergraduate interns, and the incorporation of macroarray and microarray techniques into curricula.

Approach:
ARS will acquire the lists of viral taxa to be represented on the viral detection microarray, and virus-infected samples from which to amplify nucleic acids to validate the microarray. This information and material will be utilized by both ARS and the Cooperator to jointly develop and validate the microarray for detection of target viruses, and to make validation results available to collaborators via a web server. The COOPERATOR will perform analysis of viral sequences to identify suitable sequences for the development of oligonucleotides, and participate in analysis of microarray hybridization results to determine with a high degree of confidence which viruses were present in validation samples. The Cooperator will also integrate macroarray and microarray techniques into curricula, and educate students on the theory and application of macroarrays and microarrays.