Editing DNA microarray (section)

== Principle ==
{{Main|Nucleic acid hybridization}}
{{Further|#A typical protocol}}
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[[File:NA hybrid.svg|thumb|Hybridization of the target to the probe]]
The core principle behind microarrays is hybridization between two DNA strands, the property of [[Complementarity (molecular biology)|complementary]] nucleic acid sequences to specifically pair with each other by forming [[hydrogen bond]]s between complementary [[Nucleotide|nucleotide base pairs]]. A high number of complementary base pairs in a nucleotide sequence means tighter [[non-covalent]] bonding between the two strands. After washing off non-specific bonding sequences, only strongly paired strands will remain hybridized. Fluorescently labeled target sequences that bind to a probe sequence generate a signal that depends on the hybridization conditions (such as temperature), and washing after hybridization. Total strength of the signal, from a spot (feature), depends upon the amount of target sample binding to the probes present on that spot. Microarrays use relative quantitation in which the intensity of a feature is compared to the intensity of the same feature under a different condition, <!-- 2 channel experiments are mentioned below! so do not repeat --> and the identity of the feature is known by its position.

[[File:Microarray exp horizontal.svg|thumb|The steps required in a microarray experiment]]