Optimization of TaqMan® Chemistry with the Douglas Array Tape™ Platform for Ultra-High Throughput SNP Genotyping Applications

A growing demand for genetic marker screening has led to a greater need for high throughput genotyping technologies that can deliver faster and cheaper results.  One area where high-throughput genotyping solutions are especially applicable is the agricultural biotechnology (Agbio) seed market, in which a molecular breeding revolution has begun to replace traditional breeding methods. SNP genotyping technologies allows for millions of plant samples to be screened annually to select and maintain desired genotypic markers that are correlated to phenotypic traits.  Ultimately, this goal of increasing crop yields has fueled innovation to provide platforms which are robust, scalable, and automated.  Recently, Douglas Scientific and Life Technologies signed a collaboration agreement to optimize Life Technologies’ TaqMan® assay chemistry on Douglas Scientific’s Array Tape™ platform.  The Array Tape™ system allows researchers to process hundreds of thousands of data points per day with a high amount of flexibility, data reproducibility, and automation.  The embossed wells on Array Tape™ are miniaturized versions of standard microtiter plate wells and enables users to achieve cost efficiencies through a reduction in reaction volumes of up to 10-fold compared to standard plates.  Combined with the robustness of TaqMan® chemistry, these two technologies will provide researchers with a completely integrated end-to-end solution for high throughput genotyping applications.  This poster describes the results from the R&D collaborative effort between Douglas Scientific and Life Technologies to optimize TaqMan® chemistry on Array Tape™.  Liquid class settings, thermal cycling reaction conditions, and scanner settings were fine tuned to achieve high quality performance.  Data showed highly robust SNP allele discrimination in corn and soy plant samples with comparable data to those obtained with standard real-time PCR instruments.