The Molecular Genetics Core Facility’s DNA Sequencing Core Facility offers a quick, reliable sequencing service for PCR products, double and single stranded plasmids, and larger BACs.  The Core Facility is also capable of performing a PCR purification service for customers submitting samples in a full plate format using a SPRI technology purification method.  The high-throughput PCR and sequencing service is also available for customers who have sequencing screening projects.  Please contact us at genome@dnacore.org or (617) 355-5801 to coordinate these projects with our facility.

Ask us about Affymetrix CustomSeq Resequencing Arrays.

Genotyping within the Molecular Genetics Core Facility is available using a variety of platforms and at various scales, ranging from 1 SNP or microsatellite to over 500,000 SNPs at a time.  The Core Facility utilizes capillary array technology, mass spectrometry, or microarray technology depending on your needs.  For help determining which platform best suits your projects please contact us at genome@dnacore.org.

Ask us about Custom Illumina GoldenGate SNP Genotyping Panels.

The Molecular Genetics Core Facility offers gene expression on an individual gene or whole genome scale. Individual gene expression may be quantified by rtPCR using the Applied Biosystems 7900 Sequence Detection System.  Investigators may prepare their own reactions in 384-well plates and submit them to the Core Facility for analysis at a prescheduled time.  The Core Facility also offers whole genome expression using either Illumina or Affymetrix microarray platforms.  The cost of these services includes preparing and hybridizing an RNA sample to an array.  For a slightly lower price, samples that are ready to be hybridized to chips may be submitted as well.  The Illumina pricing has already included the cost of the array, but the cost of the arrays on the Affymetrix platform varies according the type of array.  Prior to processing any microarray samples, a quality check of the RNA is performed on the Bio-Rad Experion Bioanalyzer at an extra cost of $5 per sample.

Ask us about Affymetrix Human Exon Arrays and Human Tiling Arrays.

The Bio-Rad Experion Automated Electrophoresis System (bioanalyzer) in the Molecular Genetics Core Facility provides an excellent efficient way to determine the quality of RNA samples.  Using only 3 µl of sample, the bioanalyzer can detect RNA quality at concentrations as low as 100 pg/µl.  The bioanalyzer is used within the facility to determine the quality of all RNA samples for microarray analysis, but individuals may use the bioanalyzer to determine RNA quality for samples to be used elsewhere.

We are always interested in contributing to genetic linkage and association projects either through formal collaboration or on a consulting basis with negotiable terms. We offer expertise in conducting this research and in applying many of the statistical tools used to analyze genotype data and to evaluate the power of subject families or cohorts. Statistical packages we use are:

• Allegro
• EasyLINKAGE suite of linkage analysis programs with graphic output
• FastLinkv4.1 (parametric 2-point linkage analysis)
• SPLink v1.09 (nonparametric 2-point linkage analysis)
• GENEHUNTER v2.1r5 (multipoint linkage analysis)
• Allegro GENEHUNTER PLUS - ASM (allele sharing method)
• SLINK v2.65 (2-point simulation program)
• Fisher’s Exact Test
• Transmission Disequilibrium Test (TDT)

FBAT and PBAT software for family based association studies