Oligo probe to Coding/non-coding strand - is there a preference?

[Tracy Aquilla]

In Article <36fquh$8jh at mozo.cc.purdue.edu>, muriana at aclcb.purdue.edu (Peter
M. Muriana) wrote:
>We are in the process of deciding on several oligo probes to have 
>synthesized to bacterial genes; the probe sequences were obtained using
>"Primer" to select for those with a preferable melting temperature,
>GC content, minimal self-hybridizing sequences, etc.
>
>A question has been raised whether it is OK to use a probe whose
>sequence is derived from **either** the coding or non-coding strands.
>
>Is there any reason why you would **not** want one chosen from either of these
>two strands?  I would think a probe to the non-coding strand would not only
>be useful in Southerns, but would also hybridize to mRNA in 
>Northerns?  Is there something we're overlooking, or, would as we are 
>thinking, either strand be perfectly reasonable for developing a probe?
>
>Regards,
>Peter
>*************************************************************************
>*  Peter M. Muriana, Ph.D.              Phone   = (317)-494-8284        *
>*  Dept. of Food Science                FAX     = (317)-494-7953        *
>*  Purdue University            E-mail  = muriana at aclcb.purdue.edu      *
>*  W. Lafayette, IN  47907                                              *
>*************************************************************************
>*       Disclaimer:  The opinions stated above are mine alone           * 
>*       and do not represent endorsement by my employer                 *

No problem, I do it all the time.
Tracy Aquilla, Ph.D.
Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
University of Vermont
aquilla at salus.med.uvm.edu