deCODE genetics has a continuing commitment to provide the scientific community with the most effective and comprehensive microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping service available.
We have established a world leadership in providing genome-wide scans with microsatellites as well as customized fine mapping of loci with both microsatellites and SNPs. To provide a comprehensive one-stop solution for our clients we now offer high-density genome-wide scans with SNPs. We have set up a high-throughput laboratory for processing Illumina's Sentrix® HumanHap300, HumanHap550 and HumanHap650 BeadChips which measure, respectively, more than 317,000, more than 555,000 or more than 655,000 SNP loci.
Our new genome-wide association offering leverages our expertise in genotyping which our clients have learned to value and trust. Our industrial scale SNP genotyping laboratory will be able to return data to you with fast turn-around, without compromising on care and quality.
After evaluating competing technologies, deCODE chose the Illumina platform for its industry-leading per-sample genomic coverage and data quality. Our goal is to provide clients with the most reliable, accurate and information-rich method for performing genome-wide association studies.
The Illumina Bead Chip uses the Infinium II Assay to measure hundreds of thousands of SNP loci in a single-tube whole-genome amplification method that does not require PCR.
Both the HumanHap300, HumanHap550 and HumanHap650Y chips were specifically designed to include SNPs at even spacing across the genome and give preference to tagSNPs that have been identified as reliable proxies for an even larger pool of SNP loci. The tagSNPs are selected from Phase I+II of the International HapMap project. In addition the HumanHap chips include over 7,000 nonsynonymous (protein altering) SNPs. A higher density of tagSNPs is also included for the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region.
The HumanHap550 chip all the content of the 300 chip and includes an additional 80 mitochondrial SNPs, 11 Y-chromosome SNPs, and more than 4,300 SNPs in recently reported copy number polymorphism regions of the genome.
The HumanHap650Y includes all the content of the 550 chip and includes an additional 100,000 tag SNPs for the Yoruba population making it ideally suited for whole-genome association studies for populations including individuals with African or with African-admixed genetic backgrounds
Our new high-throughput SNP laboratory features a large number of Bead Lab machines and dedicated high-throughput liquid handling robots for rapid data generation. All operations are highly automated. For quality assurance all plates, instruments and operators are labeled with barcodes alowing easy back-tracking and monitoring of performance. Our LIMS software allows each sample and operation to be tracked through the sample handling process.
The BeadArray technology involves the random assembly of derivatized microscopic beads, approximately 3 m in size into wells of a patterned substrate. The micro-electro-mechanical-systems patterned Sentrix BeadChip can be etched in many different configurations to contain over 10 million wells, to support high-density, whole-genome genotyping.
The BeadArrays are manufactured based on the creation of master bead pools, where oligonucleotide capture probes are immobilized individually by bead type in a bulk process. Each bead type in an array comes from a single immoblization event, reducing array-to-array feature variability. Bead types randomly self-assemble into etched wells on the array substrate, where each bead type is on average represented 30 times. Finally each bead on the array is identified by means of a decoding process which provides a map identifying each bed, along with a measure of functionality.
The BeadArray is processed by a customized reader, a submicron-resolution confocal laser scanning imager which captures and quantifies the flurescent assay signal generated on each array.
deCODE will provide you with detailed instructions as well as containers and barcode labels to prepare and ship your samples to our laboratories.
Once we receive your samples we will verify the integrity of the DNA by genotyping 7 of your samples and one reference sample with Illumina Sentrix® chips. After verifying the test samples we will process the rest of the samples with the BeadChip technology and perform necessary steps for quality assurance on the resulting data.
You will be informed by e-mail once your data is ready for inspection, and you will have immediate access to the data on a secure FTP site. Your samples will be handled throughout by our experienced team that is dedicated to quality and customer service, ensuring that all samples and data are handled with care and efficiency. We put a premium on care in sample handling, data quality as well as fast turn-around.
For more information, please contact genotyping@decode.com.
