Asuragen has launched a kit in its AmplideX® line to detect poly-T polymorphisms in the TOMM40 gene using PCR and capillary electrophoresis.
The AmplideX® PCR/CE TOMM40 Kit expands the firm’s portfolio into the neurodegeneration, dementia progression, and Alzheimer’s disease research space. It builds on the Asuragen’s success with its FMR1 and C9orf72 kits, which also reveal definitive genotypes from repetitive DNA and overcome challenges associated with high homology sequences, and provides researchers with a reliable and reproducible assay to advance the understanding of the role of this gene in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
AD is the most common cause of dementia worldwide with over 46 million people now living with the disease. These numbers are expected to increase dramatically over the next 15 years, to nearly 75 million.
Multiple studies have implicated the poly-T length polymorphism, rs10524523 (‘523), of the TOMM40 gene in the age of onset of AD. The AmplideX® PCR/CE TOMM40 Kit (RUO) is the first clinical research tool that accurately resolves the poly-T polymorphism at the TOMM40 ‘523 locus and provides researchers with an easy to use, reproducible, and accurate assay that can help unlock the potential value of the TOMM40 gene in AD.
The assay PCR-amplifies the TOMM40 poly-T repeat region from purified genomic DNA followed by fragment sizing on an Applied Biosystems Genetic Analyzer. The size of the PCR products is converted to the number of poly-T repeats using mobility conversion factors.