RIBOSOMAL REDUCTION
Ribosomal reduction is a process in which ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is preferentially removed from a total RNA sample via rRNA-specific probes. Ribosomal reduction is a necessary pre-processing step for the Affymetrix Whole Transcript labeling protocol when applied to Exon 1.0 ST arrays. Removing rRNA prior to labeling results in a much better signal to noise ratio and therefore improved resolution of signal intensities on the Exon 1.0 ST arrays. The procedure must be immediately followed by running the original and ribo-reduced samples on the Agilent Bioanalyzer 2100 to confirm a positive result. An example of a ribo-reduced sample trace can be seen below. The 5s, 18s, and 28s rRNA peaks shown are significantly smaller after the procedure.
