APPLICANT?S ABSTRACT:
The aim of this proposal is to establish a gene array technology core facility (the Gene Array Technology Center for Alcohol Research, GATC) to serve as a national resource for alcohol research. The collective goal of the GATC is to provide the technology base to allow investigators to delineate the gene expression profiles for ethanol-induced changes in transcriptional responses and to delineate inherent differences in gene expression profiles in animals (including humans) which display a particular type of response to ethanol. The GATC will format and print on glass slides a standardized set of gene arrays for human, mouse, and rat. These arrays will be available to NIAAA investigators for use in their alcohol- related research. The GATC will be an invaluable resource that will provide all NIAAA investigators access to gene expression discovery technologies. The GATC website will provide detailed protocols for isolation of RNA, preparation of fluorescently-labeled target probes, and hybridization procedures. The website will be interactive for GATC consultation- with investigators having queries regarding experimental procedures, quality control, and troubleshooting. For investigators that do not have array scanner access, hybridized slides may be sent back to the GATC, where they will be analyzed. The data will be returned to the investigator in spreadsheet form. The GATC bioinfonnaties group will work with NIAAA investigators for analysis of their gene expression data. The bioinformatics group will also develop a highly integrated database that includes gene expression profile data with DNA sequence from experiment protocols involving ethanol- induced changes in transcriptional responses and differences in gene expression profiles inherent to specific responses to ethanol. When NLAAA investigators publish their gene expression studies, the findings will be integrated into the NIAAA gene expression database for alcohol research. The GATC is also prepared to provide education and training for gene array technology, bioinformatics, and database management. A """"""""visiting scientist"""""""" program will be established where small groups of 3-10 NIAAA investigators will work in the GATC during intensive three-day workshops. Finally, the GATC will define normal gene expression patterns in specific regions of the brain and the liver, two primary tissues affected by alcohol. To understand """"""""abnormal"""""""" gene expression in alcohol responses, """"""""normal"""""""" gene expression must be defined. ne analysis of normal gene expression will be a major database resource for NLKAA investigators. Cumulatively, the GATC will provide the gene arrays, informatics power, and database management for gene expression discovery that will form the basis for new hypotheses in alcohol research.
