Whole genome amplification service will be useful for genetic mapping, pathogen identification, forensics and embryonic disease diagnosis
Genome researchers struggling with minute quantities of DNA and degraded samples can breathe a sigh of relief with the launch of MRC Geneservice's (MRCg) whole genome amplification service. The new service bolsters MRCg's range of genomic services that include DNA sequencing, SNP genotyping, microsatellites and RNA expression analysis.
With the addition of whole genome amplification (WGA), MRCg will be able to amplify small quantities of precious DNA to provide sufficient quantities for larger scale and multiple projects.
MRCg says its one-stop service for genomic researchers is setting the standards for quality, turnaround time and price, and WGA customers will also benefit from discounts on subsequent genotyping.
In order to offer the best possible service to genotyping and sample banking clients, MRCg undertook its own comparison of different WGA methods.
The result has been an agreement with Molecular Staging (MSI) for MRCg to provide a whole genome amplification service using MSI's proprietary Repli-g technology. "Technically the MSI system proved superior on our samples to the other systems tested and provides a very effective QC for the end product.
"This prevents the researcher wasting valuable time and money on genotyping highly degraded samples" said Cheng-Eng Ang, MRC DNA Bank network manager, who will be managing the service.
"Partially degraded samples and irreplaceable small quantities of DNA are two of the most common causes of failure in genotyping projects" said Roger Turner, MRCg's CBO.
"While no method can guarantee to rescue highly degraded DNA, MSI's system provides assurance on quality before embarking on further work and provides sufficient quantities for multiple future experiments".
"The whole genome amplification technology is truly cutting edge and will have a substantial impact on many applications, such as genetic mapping, pathogen identification, forensics and embryonic disease diagnosis. "That is why a key milestone for our DNA banking programme has been the introduction of effective whole genome amplification for the long term archiving of clinical samples and genotyping. "By partnering with MSI we are able to meet our in-house R and D objective and also provide a beneficial contract service open to the research community", said Tom Weaver, MRC geneservice's CEO.
"We are delighted that MRC Geneservice chose our proprietary whole genome amplification technology as the basis for their service offering,' said Richard Barker, chairman and CEO of Molecular Staging.
"MRC Geneservice joins a long list of prestigious institutes worldwide that have evaluated and chosen MSI's Repli-g technology on the basis of performance.
"Our partnership with MRC geneservice enables us to expand our ability to provide Repli-g whole genome amplification to an ever growing number of global scientists".
