UI and ISU establish shared DNA sequencing instrumentation

AMES and IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are pooling their resources to significantly enhance both institutions' genetic research capabilities.

The two institutions have each purchased a massively parallel DNA sequencer – an instrument capable of deciphering DNA sequences at the rate of millions to billions of bases in a single run. The two machines – each with unique advantages – will be available on a fee-for-service basis to researchers at both universities and to other institutions and private companies. Together, the two instruments represent the state-of-the-art in DNA sequencing technology.

The initiative was spearheaded by Michael Apicella, M.D., professor and head of microbiology, and senior associate dean for scientific affairs, in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine; Stephen Howell, Ph.D., professor of genetics, development and cell biology, and director of the Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State; Paul McCray, M.D., the Roy J. Carver Chair in Pulmonary Research and UI professor of pediatrics; and Patrick Schnable, Ph.D., professor of agronomy and genetics, development and cell biology and associate director of the Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State.

"The range of capabilities represented by these new instruments could not have been developed by the two institutions working alone," Howell noted. "The cooperative spirit generated through this interaction will help Iowa scientists stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field, and help us maintain our leadership in areas ranging from the medical to agricultural sciences."

"These machines can sequence extensive tracts of DNA to look for genetic differences associated with human diseases," said Apicella. "I can see this technology having a significant impact in the clinical realm in the next four to five years.

"These instruments also make us competitive for major federal funding related to new genome sequencing initiatives, including the NIH's 'microbiome' project, aimed at investigating human microbial flora diversity," he added.

The new sequencers use an approach called single molecule detection with amplification whereby hundreds of thousands of DNA fragments are sequenced concurrently to generate hundreds of millions to billions of bases of sequence information per sequencing run. At the same time, this highly sensitive technology also permits the detection of rare sequence variants that previously were not detected using traditional capillary-based sequencing approaches.

The UI-based sequencer is a Roche 454, which cost around $500,000. The instrument will be part of the UI DNA facility, which is directed by Kevin Knudtson, Ph.D. Sixty percent of the cost was covered by funding from the Office for the Vice President for Research and the UI Carver College of Medicine, and the remaining 40 percent was raised from CCOM departments and faculty members interested in taking advantage of the research opportunities the instruments provide.