Laboratory Animal Genetic Services

Laboratory Animal Genetic Services (LAGS), supported by the institutional Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA16672), has moved to Houston. The core is now co-housed with the Genetically Engineered Mouse Facility in the Mitchell Basic Science Research Building (BSRB). LAGS provides investigators with cost-effective, customized genetic analysis for laboratory animal studies. Polymorphic genetic markers (i.e. SNPs) are used to support speed congenic development and background strain characterization in mice and in mouse cell lines. The core is currently developing a new service that will provide allele-specific genotyping for CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out (KO) and knock-in (KI) mice. Additional services for other laboratory animal species could also be developed upon discussion. Our services also include free consultation on mouse and rat genetics, including standard nomenclature.  

• Fast, accurate gene-specific genotyping for knock-out and knock-in mice generated by CRISPR/Cas9 to detect small indels and single nucleotide variations via allele-specific fluorescent PCR (New service coming soon! Please contact Dr. Benavides for details)
• Background characterization of GEM and mouse ES cells with a rapid 100 SNP panel or a new, comprehensive 10K SNP panel 
• Marker (SNP) assisted backcrossing (speed congenics)
• C57BL/6J versus C57BL/6N sub-strain identification with a rapid 12 SNP assay or a new, detailed 245 SNP assay
• Passenger mutation PCR for GEM lines (e.g., Crb1rd8 in C57BL/6/N and Nnt deletion in C57BL/6/J)
• Mouse Major Histocompatibility Complex H2 haplotyping (PCR-RFLP based)
• Mouse cell line strain of origin identification using a 100 SNP panel
• Helicobacter spp. diagnostic real-time PCR from mouse fecal pellets
• Free consultation on mouse and rat genetics (including standard nomenclature)

For more information, please see our detailed service descriptions.
To access our services, go to iLab