10,000-12,000 independent sequencing reactions are performed per year at a cost of $9.50 per template sequenced (new price as of 1/1/2006).

Turn-around time: Running the PCR reactions, cleaning up the samples, pouring and running the gel, and analyzing and emailing the data requires just under 2 work days. Thus, under normal conditions, the sequence data from a template submitted before noon on the days shown below will arrive by email 2 workdays later; however, the service is first-come, first-serve, so if all the lanes on the next gel are taken, an additional day will be required. In addition, to keep your costs down, we will delay running a gel for one day if fewer than 75% of the lanes are filled.

Individual investigators provide the purified plasmid or PCR template as well as the primer, unless a standard primer (T3, T7, M13, etc.) stocked by the Core Facility is requested (Click here to see the list of available primers). The sequencing reactions are performed by cycle sequencing using fluorescent dye-labeled dideoxy terminators (ddNTPs) and a modified Taq polymerase. Resolution of the sequencing products is achieved by running the spin column-purified samples on a 48-cm acrylamide gel, which gives better resolution than the 36-cm gels used in some facilities. Detection of the fluorescently-labeled fragments is done as the bands migrate out of the gel, using an argon laser and CCD camera.

Version 3.3 Sequencing Analysis software (using neural net tracking algorithms) is used to generate the sequencing data. Turnaround times are quick, and researchers are rapidly provided with their sequence data via email. Color-print electropherograms showing the fluorescence peak traces that represent the actual dye-labeled fragments as they leave the gel can be provided; however, it is more cost- and time-efficient to simply send you the electropherogram (To download a free trace viewer that you can use on your Windows, Mac,OSX or Linux desktop, click here) as an attachment to the emailed sequence file, and we encourage investigators to use this option, which provides a permanent electronic record which can either be viewed on-screen or printed at a later date in your own lab.
( see example below).

Costs are $9.50 per sequence reaction (new price as of 1/1/2006).

Download Order Sheet/Sample Preparation Info (PDF File)

Download Order Sheet/Sample Preparation Info(Word Document)

The Director of the Facility is Dr. Bruce A. Stanley

As with the other Section of Research Resources Core Facilities, the Molecular Genetics Core Facility serves numerous investigators at the College of Medicine, as well as investigators outside the Univers

(Download FREE FinchTV Viewer--> )

. 

Portion of a typical DNA Sequencing Electropherogram
(~1/2 size)

Please also let us know about publications or grant applications that make use of the services of this facility.

Penn State University College of Medicine Core Reseach Facilities