New Sequencers!
New Sequencers!
The NSC strives to provide the Norwegian research community with sequencing data using all currently available, proven technologies. We are therefore pleased to announce the arrival of THREE newly acquired sequencing instruments: the Illumina MiSeq, the Pacific Biosciences RS (the first such instrument in Scandinavia), and the Ion Torrent PGM from Life Technologies. See below for more details, specifications and their availability to users.
Illumina MiSeq
A single-lane version of our existing Illumina technology, this machine offers 150 bp paired end reads in 27 hours (up to 14 million reads / 2 Gb per run). Ideal for smaller projects such as bacterial genome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing and quality control of sequencing libraries
Advantages to user: Faster turnaround.
Availability: Immediately, but we may limit user numbers until we are confident of performance.
For more info: http://www.illumina.com/systems/miseq.ilmn
Pacific Biosciences RS
Single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing, offering the longest read lengths possible, in addition to detection of DNA base modifications. Throughput up to 90 MB per run. Ideal for use in combination with short read (e.g. Illumina) technology for genome assembly - i.e. combining the long reads of the RS with the sheer output of Illumina. Due to single molecule reads, the PacBio is also ideal for investigation of allelic variation. Please note that the data from this instrument has a particular error profile, requiring in some instances specialised downstream analysis pipelines.
Advantages to users:
- single molecule sequencing (no PCR required)
- faster turnaround (but with lower throughput)
- two sequencing modes:
1. short, highly accurate reads
2. long, less accurate reads (up to an average of 3000 bp, with instances of reads over 10 kb)
Availability: Installed, but training and validation are ongoing - watch this space! Enquiries for "beta test" users welcome.
For more info: http://www.pacificbiosciences.com/
Ion Torrent PGM (personal genome machine)
Semiconductor sequencing (similar to 454 chemistry, but detecting protons instead of light) with an output up to 1 Gb per run.
Advantages to users:
-fast run time (2 hours)
-lower price (details not yet finalised)
-long read lengths (currently 200 bp, 400 bp touted for arrival by the summer)
Availability: Delivered, but installation and training is required. Enquiries for "beta test" users welcome!
For more info:
Other new equipment.
We are also pleased to announce the arrival of a number of tools that should increase our capacity and improve turnaround times over the next few months.
-Sage Science’s PIPPIN PREP (automated nucleic acid size selection)
-Covaris S220 sonication (allows narrower size distribution of DNA libraries)
-Beckman Coulter BIOMEK FXp (pipetting robot for up to 96 parallel sample preps)
