Primer array synthesis and validation

1. A method for synthesizing primers from an array of polymers on a solid substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a solid substrate, wherein said substrate has a density, wherein a plurality of different known oligonucleotides sequences are located in a plurality of different, known locations on a surface of said substrate;

attaching a plurality of linkers to the substrate, wherein the plurality of linkers comprises a photogroup, wherein the photo group is a compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following structural formula:

wherein:

X is an oligonucleotide or a peptide;

R 1 and R 2 are H, or form a fused aryl ring;

R 3 is H or aryl; and

Ar is aryl;

wherein the plurality of linkers comprises:

a first group of linkers having a first cleavable moiety, wherein said first cleavable moiety is activatable under specific conditions and wherein activation of said first cleavable moiety disrupts the first group of linkers to provide a substrate with a plurality of attached first group of linkers, and

a second group of linkers, wherein said second group of linkers does not comprise the first cleavable moiety;

attaching a first nucleotide to at least one of said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached first nucleotide;

attaching a second nucleotide to a least one of said attached first nucleotide or said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached nucleotide;

attaching a third nucleotide to a least one of said attached first nucleotide, said second nucleotide or said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached third nucleotide;

repeating said steps of attaching nucleotide until the desired array of polymers of defined primers is complete, thereby synthesizing said primers comprising said first group of linkers and said primers comprising said second group of linkers, one nucleotide at a time on the array;

subjecting the array to specific conditions to cleave the first group of linkers from said array, wherein said primers comprising said second group of linkers are retained on the substrate;

identifying at least one known, different oligonucleotide sequence of said primer comprising said second group of linkers by determining said known location of said primer comprising said second group of linkers; and

performing a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry on said primer comprising said second group of linkers on said substrate to determine whether a result from said MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry confirms said identified known, different oligonucleotide sequence.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers that are released comprise from 10 1 to 10 5 different nucleotide sequences.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers and second group of linkers are less than 60 bases in length.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said polymer is a DNA oligonucleotide.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers and said second group of linkers are labeled with a detectable moiety.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers and second group of linkers comprise between 10 1 to 10 5 features, each feature comprising a unique nucleotide sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers and second group of linkers range between about 80 to about 160 nucleotides.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said primers comprising said first group of linkers and second group of linkers are present on the array at a density between 200-2000 pmol/cm 2 .

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising performing an ionization step.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein said performing said MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is part of an automated analysis.

11. A method for synthesizing primers from an array of polymers on solid substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a solid substrate,

attaching a plurality of linkers to the substrate, attaching a plurality of linkers to the substrate, wherein the plurality of linkers comprises a photogroup, wherein the photo group is selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following structural formula:

wherein:

X is an oligonucleotide or a peptide;

R 1 and R 2 are H, or form a fused aryl ring;

R 3 is H or aryl; and

Ar is aryl;

wherein the plurality of linkers comprises:

a first group of linkers having a first cleavable moiety, wherein said first cleavable moiety is activatable under specific conditions and wherein activation of said first cleavable moiety disrupts the first group of linkers to provide a substrate with a plurality of attached first group of linkers, and

a second group of linkers, wherein said second group of linkers does not comprise the first cleavable moiety;

attaching a first nucleotide to at least one of said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached first nucleotide;

attaching a second nucleotide to a least one of said attached first nucleotide or said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached nucleotide;

attaching a third nucleotide to a least one of said attached first nucleotide, said second nucleotide or said plurality of attached first and second groups of linkers to provide an attached third nucleotide;

repeating said steps of attaching nucleotide until the desired array of polymers of defined primers is complete, thereby synthesizing said primers comprising said first group of linkers and said primers comprising said second group of linkers, one nucleotide at a time on the array;

subjecting the array to specific conditions to cleave the first group of linkers from said array, wherein said primers comprising said second group of linkers are retained on the substrate; and

performing a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry on said primer comprising said second group of linkers on said substrate.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

wherein:

R 1 and R 2 form a fused aryl ring.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula:

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compound is represented by the following structural formula: