Marijuana Genotyping    

How is Marijuana testing done?

Genetic profiling can be used as a tool for identity assurance from species down to the level of an individual organism, and even closely related marijuana strains can be authenticated using short tandem repeat (STR) loci. STR loci consist of short, repetitive sequence elements 3–7 base pairs in length. These repeats are well distributed throughout the cannabis genome and are a rich source of highly polymorphic markers, which can be detected using the polymerase chain reaction. Alleles of STR loci are differentiated by the number of copies of the repeat sequence contained within the amplified region and are distinguished from one another using fluorescence detection following electrophoretic separation.

Our analysis focuses on genotyping 13 Cannabis loci that providing a STR fingerprint that differentiates between Cannabis and closely related plants, between hemp and drug producing strains of Cannabis, and can in many cases distinguish different strains and varieties of drug-producing Cannabis.

When we are testing your samples, allele size and identity are determined for these genetic loci, and compared to the allele profiles of other samples as well as to the Cannabis reference database. Based on these comparisons, the degree of relatedness of the sample tested to all other samples and references is established, and used to identify it.

A report including the identity of the sample, spreadsheets with the STR data, and the original electropherograms is then generated.

What you get as part of our Cannabis Genotyping Service

• DNA extraction from test samples
• Testing of 13 Cannabis-specific STR loci by PCR amplification and separation on the ABI 3730XL Genetic Analyzer.
• Allele size and identity determination with GeneMapper ID (V3.0) software and data verification by an experiences scientist.
• Data presented in user-friendly spreadsheets that contain allele size and intensity.
• Genotyping Report with electropherograms and statistical analysis
• Complete confidentiality
• Fast turnaround

Additional benefits you get with ACGT, Inc. services

• All results are available in electronic and hard copy formats including a publication quality electropherogram of each sample with a reference size ladder.
• Extensive experience with difficult to assay samples and complete assistance with data interpretation.
• Testing can be performed under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) conditions that include sample Chain of Custody and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documentation.
• Legal support including deposition and court testimony.
• Sample archiving and repository