Scoring microsatellite loci

Microsatellites have been utilized for decades for genotyping individuals in various types of research. Automated scoring of microsatellite loci has allowed for rapid interpretation of large datasets. Although the use of software produces an automated process to score or genotype samples, several sources of error have to be taken into account to produce accurate genotypes. A variety of problems (from extracting DNA to entering a genotype into a database) which can arise throughout this process might result in erroneous genotype assignment to one or more samples, potentially confounding the conclusions of your study. Correctly assigning a genotype to a sample requires knowledge of the chemistry you use to generate the data as well as the software you use to analyze these results. In this chapter we describe the critical and more common points that researchers experience when scoring microsatellite loci. More importantly we provide insight from an experienced perspective for these challenges.