HERCULES, CA — Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) today announced the launch of the SEQuoia Complete Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit, a novel approach to RNA-Seq library preparation. The kit offers a holistic view of the complete transcriptome in a simplified workflow and is compatible with a broad range of sample inputs from a variety of sample types including degraded RNA specimens.
The launch of the SEQuoia Complete Kit follows Bio-Rad’s 2019 acquisition of 2D Genomics, a Bay Area start-up that developed and patented innovative enzyme technologies to improve next-generation sequencing (NGS) sample preparation, including SEQzyme, which is at the core of the SEQuoia Complete Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit. SEQzyme is unique in that it couples cDNA synthesis with adapter addition in a continuous synthesis reaction, constructing sensitive and diverse libraries compatible with Illumina® NGS platforms.
"We are pleased to add the technologies of 2D Genomics to Bio-Rad’s portfolio of enabling genomic solutions," said Annette Tumolo, Bio-Rad EVP and president of the Life Science Group. "We believe the SEQuoia Complete Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit will provide us a strong start as we step into the RNA sequencing preparation market. The kit’s ability to construct robust and complex libraries, including both short and long RNAs, can result in tremendous advancements in research, including the discovery of biologically relevant biomarkers beyond just mRNA," she said.
NGS has transformed genomics research and is increasingly the method of choice for researchers studying the transcriptome as it offers numerous advantages over gene expression arrays. RNA sequencing provides the unique ability to study the entirety of the transcriptome for several applications, including the identification of biomarkers, a better understanding of phenotypes, and discovery of novel features of the transcriptome as they relate to disease.
About the SEQuoia Complete Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit
The SEQuoia Complete Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit overcomes common challenges often experienced with traditional RNA-Seq library preparation kits. Using the SEQuoia Complete Kit scientists can capture the complete transcriptome, including short (<200 bp) and long (>200 bp) RNAs, in a single library prep. This innovative approach is compatible with a broad range of sample inputs from a variety of sample types, including fresh-frozen, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE), and liquid biopsy specimens, generating cDNA libraries suitable for strand-specific NGS on Illumina sequencers in less than four hours. The SEQuoia Complete Kit includes access to the integrated SeqSense Analysis Solution. SeqSense is specifically designed for use with the SEQuoia Complete Kit to process and QC sequencing data for all RNA biotypes in the library within a single analysis pipeline.
