The equipment allows DNA sequencing by the Sanger method and fragment size determination.

The ABI 3730XL Capillary Electrophoresis Sequencing System is used for conventional sequencing by Sanger methodology and also for the determination of the size of fluorescently labelled DNA fragments.

It contains an array of 96 capillaries of 50 cm length, which allows to analyse 96 samples simultaneously and to obtain sequences of a length of about 900 bp.

The labelling of samples for sequencing is performed using didesoxynucleotides labelled with 4 different fluorochromes. Capillary electrophoresis is used to separate the labelled fragments, which are detected when they reach the optical system at the end of the array.

For genotyping applications, 5 different fluorochromes can be used to mark the primers used in the amplification of the fragments.