Monday 25 November 2013

YSEQ.net - a new company offering a single SNP testing service

This article is for advanced genetic genealogists who have an understanding of SNPs.
Thomas and Astrid Krahn have launched a new small business by the name of YSEQ.net. Thomas and Astrid were formerly employed by Family Tree DNA where they developed the Walk Through the Y SNP discovery programme. The new company will cater for a niche market developing custom SNPs on demand. Thomas announced the service on the Genealogy DNA list and in the ISOGG Facebook group as follows:
Expecting a flood of new SNPs from Next Gen sequencing we try to help with cleaning up the mess by offering very traditional Sanger sequencing for any marker you desire on the Y chromosome. The testing will be performed in our own laboratory.

Check out http://yseq.net/ and http://shop.yseq.net/

We don't have very many markers yet, but you can "Wish a SNP" of your choice and we'll make it available as fast as we can. We'll not limit the number of markers to 2000 or so. If you just received your NGS results, ask us for a bulk package offer by e-mail (info@yseq.net). Let me know if you have questions.
YSEQ will focus on providing SNPs that are not available with other testing companies. SNPs will be available either singly or in panels. Family Tree DNA was previously the only other company to offer single SNP testing, but they currently do not have the capacity to provide testing for more than 2000 additional SNPs.

New SNPs can be suggested. There is a $1 fee for suggestions but this is a formal spam blocker, and it will be possible to send a long list of markers at once with a single submission.

YSEQ also plan to offer a Y-STR testing service in the near future. It is expected that this service will focus on the 300 or more STRs that are included in the next generation sequencing tests but which are not currently available to test separately from any commercial provider.

YSEQ will provide a very useful and much-needed service as we anticipate the arrival of the SNP tsunami. We are entering uncharted territory with next generation sequencing of the Y-chromosome. Custom SNP testing using the tried and tested Sanger sequencing technology will be necessary to validate the new SNPs found. Custom SNP testing will also provide a cheaper method for comparative testing of SNPs to verify their placement on the branches of the Y-tree.

I wish Thomas and Astrid Krahn every success with their new venture.

3 comments:

Brian Swann said...

Very interesting development, especially if other DNA testing companies outside of FTDNA decide to make use of their bioanalytical skills.

This has the potential to become another example of the law of unintended consequences.

It will be interesting to discover the laboratory facilities where this work will be conducted. You should not underestimate the LIMS capabilities and automation at FTDNA, but I do not know enough about exactly Thomas operated in the previous environment.

Anonymous said...

Tsunami, causes much distruction and despair, can't we stick to a simple increase of orders. The dictionary is being corrupted by improper usage, by the under educated masses.

Debbie Kennett said...

The usage of language changes over time. The job of dictionary compilers is to record current usage