Objective THE TECHNIQUES OF DNA SEQUENCING ARE OF CENTRAL IMPORTANCE IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. DETERMINATION OF THE COMPLETE NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCES OF LARGE MOLECULES BY THE PRESENT MANUAL METHODS IS, HOWEVER, A TEDIOUS AND TIME CONSUMING PROCESS AS ARE THE ITERATIVE MANUAL DETERMINATIONS OF RELATIVELY SHORT SEQUENCES.THE REPETITIVE NATURE OF THE TASK MAKES IT AN IDEAL SUBJECT FOR AUTOMATION. THE AUTOMATION OF THE PROCESS AIMED AT IN THE PRESENT PROPOSAL SHOULD SPEED UP THE DETERMINATION OF NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCES FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing is an obvious candidate for automation allowing more rapid access to the genetic data encoded in very large DNA molecules, such as the human genome.Research was carried out into the production of fast and accurate instrument modules to automate aspects of sequence analysis. A novel machine was designed and built which incorporated a vision controlled robot to identify and select plaques and colonies on Petri dishes for automatic sampling and transfer of candidate material for further growth in individual containers. Electrophoresis and direct blotting were automated and a gas counter was built for directly imaging radiolabelled DNA sequences and mapping gels for genetic data abstraction.The first robot system (APSCIR) to image mixed randomly disposed arrays of biological specimens and to pick a particular set of these for distribution into an ordered arrangement was produced. Imaging hardware and software were developed jointly with a patented robot picking head to automate this process, which is recognized as a serious bottleneck in many DNA analysis procedures. The direct blotting electrophoresis system was developed into a key technology for the second generation of automatic mappers and sequencers and the gas counter capabilities were extended into the area of sequence and genetic analysis.DEVELOPMENT OF A FAST AND USER-FRIENDLY VISION SYSTEM FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECOGNITION AND LOCATION OF PLAQUES BY COLOUR, SHAPE AND PATTERN AND THE GUIDANCE OF A PICK-UP ROBOT TO PLAQUES CORRESPONDING TO A GIVEN SET OF USER-SELECTABLE CRITERIA. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAsocial sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomationnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnucleotidesnatural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectrophoresisnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmolecular biology Programme(s) FP1-BAP - Multiannual research action programme (EEC) in the field of biotechnology (BAP), 1985-1989 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Steinbeis-Transferzentrum System- und Softwareengineering EU contribution No data Address Reichenaustraße 81c 78467 Konstanz Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Christian-Albrechts-Universität Germany EU contribution No data Address Olshausen str. 40 24098 Kiel See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Chilton OX11 0QX Didcot See on map Total cost No data University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Sackville Street M60 1QD Manchester See on map Total cost No data
