23andMe uses the new gold standard from DNA Genotek
I was watching a short video tour of the 23andMe facilities and while the DNA test kit was being shown, I happened to catch the name of the company supplying the kits, they are called DNA Genotek.
DNA Genotek are seriously in to the spitting business as they seem to provide their award winning “New Gold Standard for DNA Collection” to many top notch genetics companies.
The DNA collection tube that comes with the 23andMe DNA collection kit seems to be the Oragene•DNA.
The Oragene•DNA Self-Collection Kit is an all-in-one system for the collection, preservation, transportation and purification of DNA from saliva.
The product page also presents some of the benefits in using the product and also the use of saliva as a form of DNA collection.
Here’s the listing of the main product features and benetifs:
- Median DNA yield of 110 µg
- Non-invasive, reliable self-collection that increases compliance and decreases costs
- Long-term storage at room temperature
- FDA registered, CE & IVD certification
- Equivalent to DNA from blood for downstream applications
- Extraction kit included for easy purification
- Compact, robust design is ideal for storage and mailing
For full information regarding this DNA collection product, visit the product page.
I’m sincerely curious here: why?
I’m sorry, could you expand on that? Why would 23andMe use DNA Genotek’s product? Please follow up.
DNA Genotek makes a line of saliva collection kits that contain a DNA stabilization reagent. You basically spit 2ml into it, close the lid which cracks an ampule of preservation reagents, and then mail it to a lab. More foolproof than a buccal swab for use by a layperson. Stable at RT for a while.
23andMe is using the HTP option which includes a blood-style tube for direct automation…undoubtedly to make Illumina’s life easier.
I’ve always wondered about their yield claims…I want to know how much of that 110ug is bacterial DNA!
I pointed this out last weekend on my site.
Looks like about 7% of that 110ug is bacterial. Check out the white paper http://www.dnagenotek.com/pdf_files/PDWP002_BacterialContent.pdf
Hey Eric, thanks for the comment. I hadn’t seen your post last week. Great stuff.
Thanks Joan! That’s surprisingly low! Must’ve brushed well first! :D
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