SNP genotyping (SNP chip, DNA microarray)

SNP chips enable the genome-wide parallel determination of tens of thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphism DNA sequence variants (SNPs) from a wide variety of sample types. Such high-resolution DNA profiles can be used for parentage testing as well as for the genotyping of causal variants for genetic defects and functional traits (such as scrapie resistance). In addition, genomic inbreeding coefficients of breeds and effective population sizes can be estimated. These parameters are a further development of the assessment values determined from pedigree data for the risk level of a population or breed.
Taken together, this technological development breaks new ground for genome-based applications for current and future routine SNP genotyping, which also represents a more cost-effective alternative to individual analyses when considered the gained total information.