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In situ oligonucleotide synthesis on poly(dimethylsiloxane): a flexible substrate for microarray fabrication.

Moorcroft MJ, Meuleman WR, Latham SG, Nicholls TJ, Egeland RD, Southern EM

Oxamer, Oxford Gene Technology Ltd Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford OX5 1PF, UK. matt.moorcroft@ogt.co.uk

In this paper, we demonstrate in situ synthesis of oligonucleotide probes on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchannels through use of conventional phosphoramidite chemistry. PDMS polymer was moulded into a series of microchannels using standard soft lithography (micro-moulding), with dimensions <100 microm. The surface of the PDMS was derivatized by exposure to ultraviolet/ozone followed by vapour phase deposition of glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane and reaction with poly(ethylene glycol) spacer, resulting in a reactive surface for oligonucleotide coupling. High, reproducible yields were achieved for both 6mer and 21mer probes as assessed by hybridization to fluorescent oligonucleotides. Oligonucleotide surface density was comparable with that obtained on glass substrates. These results suggest PDMS as a stable and flexible alternative to glass as a suitable substrate in the fabrication and synthesis of DNA microarrays.

Published 4 May 2005 in Nucleic Acids Res, 33(8): e75.
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