Pippin systems are essential for massively parallel genotyping studies using the double digest RADseq method (a form of reduced-representation genome sequencing) developed by the Hoekstra lab at Harvard University.
The method deploys restriction enzymes across the genomes of many individuals, cutting at certain predefined sequences to generate a slew of fragments to interrogate. This allows scientists to sample large numbers of individuals at once, looking for hundreds or thousands of variants in each. This is a cost-effective approach useful for applications ranging from evolutionary development to population studies to QTL mapping.
Successful double digest RADseq requires highly accurate size selection of DNA fragments across all samples, which cannot be achieved with manual gel extraction. Independent studies have demonstrated that Pippin Prep outperforms other sizing options for this application.
Click here to read our case study of ddRADseq and its development in the Hoekstra lab.