Previously, 'DNattach'. an alternative DNA immobilization system for attaching modified oligonucleotide probes onto a gold surface by UV irradiation that can be used in various DNA microarray applications including gene expression analysis, was developed. Attached to the gold surface, the modified probes have been shown to successfully detect synaptogenesis in the developing mouse cerebellum. In this study, this technology to immobilize modified oligonucleotide probes onto three different non-modified plastic surfaces in a microarray format has been further expanded. Using this system, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping of both oligonucleotide and PCR product targets has been successfully performed and it has also been shown that the probes immobilized on the slides can be used efficiently in hybridization experiments. Furthermore, it has been shown that probe concentrations of only 1-5 mu M are sufficient for hybridization and that this immobilization method provides hybridization signals greater than those of conventional immobilization techniques. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.