(ChemotherapyAdvisor) – Leukemia researchers will be detecting genetic variants in blood samples at a much higher level of sensitivity, according to today’s press release from Roche Life Sciences, Basel, Switzerland. The company announced the launch and immediate availability of the GS GType TET2/CBL/KRAS and the GS GType RUNX1 Primer Sets, which are kits that will enable leukemia researchers to perform comprehensive genetic variation screening and detection in four key human genes using the company’s 454 GS Junior and GS FLX Systems. The kit is for research use only.
Using this sequence-based assay, researchers will be able to investigate the human TET2, CBL, KRAS and RUNX1 genes, which are known to be associated with developmental defects, disease progression, and residual disease in a variety of leukemias and myeloid malignancies. According to Roche, “the assays enable deep sequencing of [Polymerase Chain Reaction] amplicons covering key exon regions, and offer superior sensitivity and time to result compared to traditional Sanger capillary sequencing approaches. Using the GS GType TET2/CBL/KRAS and the GS GType RUNX1 Primer Sets with 454 Sequencing Systems, researchers can detect genetic variants far below the Sanger limit of detection.” The assays include primer plates, protocols and dedicated analysis software.
“Blood cancers consist of widely varying subtypes which can be difficult to characterize using traditional approaches,” said Thomas Schinecker, President of 454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company. “We are pleased to offer a solution that leverages the strengths of the GS FLX and GS Junior System to deliver long, high quality sequencing reads and enables better characterization of genetic variations in leukemia samples.”
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