A SURVEY OF NUCLEIC-ACID SERVICES IN-CORE LABORATORIES

Core facility services related to DNA synthesis and sequencing were su rveyed by the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities. Respons es from 85 facilities offering DNA synthesis and 37 facilities offerin g DNA sequencing were obtained. Data on instrumentation, volume, numbe r of users, cost, methodology and a number of other criteria were obta ined. The volume of work pet-formed by these centralized cove faciliti es was quite substantial (combined synthesis output of 4 million bases per year and a combined sequencing output of 35 million bases per yea r). The large number of users supported by these facilities and the hi gh sample throughput make these cove resource facilities good indicato rs of technological trends.