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Service platforms: Genotyping, Metabolomics and Endocrinology platform
Joseph I. Hoffman, Caroline Müller & Sylvia Kaiser
The technology service platforms for Genotyping, Metabolomics and Endocrinology played and will continue to play a central role in the CRC. They deliver essential genetic, metabolic and endocrinological data in support of various empirical projects. Each of the platforms is headed by a highly experienced researcher with the appropriate skills and knowledge to support diverse but related projects and to drive them to completion.
The Genotyping Platform offers a variety of molecular genetic approaches for individual identification, sex determination, parentage analysis, and the quantification of population genetic structure, genetic diversity and inbreeding. Our main workhorse is microsatellite genotyping, which is both convenient and cost-effective. We facilitate projects by generating microsatellite and molecular sexing datasets according to strict quality standards.
The Metabolomics Platform offers liquid and gas chromatography analyses coupled with different detectors, which allow for fingerprinting approaches and the identification and quantification of target metabolites. Thermodesorption allows the analysis of volatile profiles. Our broad method repertoire, the adjustment of analytical methods to varying samples of different animal species, and the establishment of analytical protocols helps to characterise phenotypes of individuals at a very fine-tuned scale.
The Endocrinology Platform offers analysis of steroid hormone concentrations including cortisol, corticosterone and testosterone from plasma, saliva, hair, feather, faecal and water samples in several species using competitive immunoassays like enzyme-linked immunosorbent- and luminescence-enhanced enzyme immune-Assays (ELISA, LEIA). In many projects non-invasive techniques are used.
In addition to providing support for the individual empirical projects, the platforms provide training for the PhD students and postdocs and support the necessary data analysis, interpretation and writing. Furthermore, they ensure that all data are remotely backed up for secure long-term storage and assist the PIs in uploading their data to publically available databases, such as Dryad or MetaboLights. Harmonising data collection in this way under the direction of highly experienced PIs who also support data analysis and interpretation maximises synergies across the CRC.
