Genotyping

Lark's genotyping program is designed to provide high quality, high-throughput data for a variety of applications in biomedicine and agriculture. Lark has the capacity to process blood, plant or tissue samples, archive the DNA, perform PCR-based genotyping methods and deliver raw and interpreted data for input into bioinformatic systems.

• STR Genotyping
  
• SNP Genotyping
  
• Customized Genotyping Projects

All genotyping analysis is performed under GLP guidelines to insure both the quality of data and sample tracking integrity. We have focused on two technologies for characterizing the genotypes of individuals - STR and SNP analysis

STR Genotyping

Short Tandem Repeats (STR's)are efficient tools for mapping specific traits or to follow the flow of genetic material in a population. The technology is based on the presence of short tracks of di, tri, tetra or penta nucleotide repeats which are common in the genomes of eukaryotic organisms. These short tracks (5 to 10 repeating units) are faithfully transmitted thought sexual reproduction, but are often highly polymorphic within a population.

High-throughput analysis of STR loci can be performed by first amplifying the loci using flanking PCR primers. The size of loci (and hence the characteristic number of repeats) can be identified following electrophoretic separation on an ABI 377 sequence detector, provided fluorescent primers are used to tag the amplified products. The polymorphic allele can be used as genetic markers for nearby (genetically linked) genes.

Data for multiple samples and multiple loci can be captured by the instrument and exported in a database or spreadsheet format for bioinformatic analysis, including pedigree analysis or dis-equilibrium analysis. The efficiency of the process may be optimized by employing multiplex PCR methods, where multiple loci are amplified in a single PCR reaction. The use of distinct fluorescent tags of various colors makes it possible to analyze multiple fragments within a single electrophoretic run. High throughput data generation is supported by our automated sample processing and tracking techniques, and computer assisted data interpretation.

Automated STR genotyping on the ABI sequence detection system makes it possible to tackle projects involving thousands or more samples, hundreds of STR markers, and leading to the determination of hundreds of thousands of genotypes or more. Customers may take advantage of Lark's expertise in primer design and STR multiplexing optimization to move projects from sample to data with a minimum of time and risk.

Lark Technologies, Inc., 9441 W. Sam Houston Pkwy. South, Suite 103, Houston, TX 77099. Tel: 713-779-3663; Fax: 713-779-1661.