MWG Biotech Offers First Rat Microarray with 10,000 Genes

High Point, NC, July 30, 2002 - MWG Biotech announces the launch of the most complete rat microarray on the market. Expanding on their diverse portfolio of predesigned microarrays, MWG now offers three Pan Arrays - Rat 10K Array, Rat 5K Array, and Rat Liver Array - for investigating one of the most important model organisms in toxicogenomics and life science research. This complements their predesigned and custom microarray and oligo set offerings for a wide variety of organisms and applications.

The new 10K Array contains gene-specific probes representing 10,000 unique rat genes. In addition to the 5,535 genes from public databases already available on the Rat 5K Array, it presents another 4,105 genes annotated from an in-house EST sequencing project. Portions of expressed genes were sequenced from brain, heart, liver and kidney tissue from three different rat strains: SHRSP (stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats), WKY (wistar kyoto rats) and SD (Sprague Dawley rats). By focusing on actively expressed genes under various conditions, a much larger number of genes can now be investigated as to function, gene group and organ specificity.

The new Rat 10K Array is a perfect tool for fast and precise identification of disease-relevant genes and for the study of the effects of new drugs. Additionally, this array allows for the functional analysis of a large number of physiological, biochemical and biological correlations.

"The MWG Rat 10K Array is a good example of the perfect synergy of our corporate competencies. In our Genomic Information business unit, we identified new, unknown genes by means of EST-sequencing. For these genes, we calculated and produced 100% gene-specific oligonucleotides in our Genomic Synthesis unit, from which the Genomic Diagnosis unit developed and produced the actual array using bioinformatic tools," explains Prof. Dr. Matthias Schönermark, CEO of MWG-Biotech AG. "This proves our competence and service orientation on the exciting path from genome to gene function."

The MWG Rat 10K Array is the newest member of MWG's successful series of catalogue arrays for human, mouse, C. elegans, zebrafish, Arabidopsis, yeast, E. Coli, and a number of pathogenic organisms. Additionally, the company offers a series of application-specific arrays, e.g. human cancer, as well as complete 30,000 gene whole-genome arrays and oligos sets for human and mouse.

The MWG Rat 10K Array is available worldwide and is also available as an oligo set.

MWG Biotech is an international genomics solution provider offering a variety of services and products for complete research needs from genome to gene function.