But some core facilities are now questioning whether offering DNA synthesis services still makes good economic sense. These facilities must compete with large, custom DNA-synthesis facilities, which can generally produce oligos less expensively. Maintenance costs for core facilities are high, and without a client volume large enough to justify the expense, some universities have opted to shut down these particular services. Yet core facility operators contend they have a role to play in the biotech market, saying that their higher prices are offset by better service and quality control.
Today's DNA synthesizers are essentially sophisticated fluid-handling devices that make a complicated chemical process as simple as entering the desired sequence into a central workstation. Since 1984, researchers have used solid-phase synthesis to manufacture oligonucleo-tides, a technique similar to the one they use to create polypeptides. This method begins with a primary residue (the 3'-most nucleotide) anchored to a solid support. ...
