Applied Biosystems has announced that the Genome Institute of Singapore will add a fourth Solid ultra-high throughput genomic analysis system to its existing base of technologies.
The four Solid systems will be used to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the genetic changes that characterise cancer in humans.
The GIS scientists plan to use these DNA sequencing platforms to expand their study of the genetic underpinnings of cancer and other complex human diseases.
They are interested in using ultra-high throughput genomic analysis technologies to help them to more thoroughly investigate how structural variants contribute to the development of cancer.
Structural variants consist of gene copy-number variations, single-base duplications, inversions, translocations, insertions and deletions.
Recent studies have shown these genetic changes may occur in both normal and diseased cells.
Therefore, it is important to characterise all structural changes to understand which variations may lead to abnormal function.
The paired-end analysis capability of the Solid system enables scientists interested in complex genomic studies to analyse wide ranges of DNA insert sizes of up to 10,000 base pairs.
Insert sizes are pairs of sequences separated by a known distance between them.
Large paired-end tag libraries enable researchers to quickly cover the entire genome to identify large structural variations.
Short pair-end tag libraries can then be used to identify small structural variations and precisely map the boundaries of specific large structural variations.
