Comparison of Hybridization-based and Sequencing-based Gene Expression Technologies on Biological Replicates

High-throughput systems for gene expression profiling have been developed and matured rapidly through the past decade. Broadly, these can be divided into two categories: hybridization-based and sequencing-based approaches. With data from different technologies being accumulated, concerns and challenges are raised regarding data comparability and agreement across technologies. Within an ongoing large-scale cross-platform data comparison framework, we report here a comparison based on identical samples between one-dye DNA microarray platforms and MPSS (Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing). The DNA microarray platforms generally provided highly correlated data, while moderate correlations between microarrays and MPSS were obtained. Disagreements between the two types of technologies can be attributed to limitations inherent to both technologies. The variation found between pooled biological replicates underlines the importance of exercising caution in identification of differential expression, especially for the purposes of biomarker discovery. Based on different principles, hybridization-based and sequencing-based technologies should be considered complementary to each other, rather than competitive, and currently, both provide indispensable tools for transcriptome profiling.

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Liu F, Jenssen TK, Trimarchi J, Punzo C, Cepko CL, Ohno-Machado L, Hovig E, Kuo WP