The Genomics Platform of Parco Tecnologico Padano (PGP) was inaugurated in February 2006. The PGP is equipped with  three liquid handlers for sample handling and processing. A series of protocols were developed to offer a fully automated genotyping service to academic and private institutions. The genotyping protocols are currently based on AB 3730 and 7900HT from Applied Biosystems. In addition, on November 2007 the genotyping potentialities of the Genomics Platform were increased with the acquisition of  BeadXpress station.

SNP Analysis

At the PGP SNPs can be investigated with different techniques, according to the number of samples and SNPs to be analyzed.
GoldenGate is a high-throughput multiplexed assay which can detect up to 384 different SNPs in each sample. It’s based on a robust hybridization-ligation-extension protocol. GoldenGate assays, based on Veracode Technology, will be run on the Illumina BeadXpress station.

Advised SNP analysis technique versus number of SNPs to be analyzed

So far SNPs were analyzed in: goats, chickens, barley, rice, as well as Oenococcus oeni strains.

Other Genotyping Analyses

Microsatellites (SSRs) are also analyzed at the PGP using the AB3730 capillary electrophoresis system. A pair of one labeled and one un-labeled primers are used for PCR amplification. When Microsatellites are analyzed, different amplicons can be pooled before injection (multiplexing), according to the expected fragment size and to the fluorophors used.
Microsatellites (SSRs) were used as molecular markers for the analysis of: goats, rice, maize and grape mapping populations.

Other Services

The PGP is fully equipped to create and store bar-coded biorepositories of biological samples (e.g. blood) and Nucleic Acids. Nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) are purified and normalized using automated technologies.