Bioo Scientific is Launching NEXTflex-96™ DNA Barcodes to Significantly Increase NGS Throughput

Bioo Scientific has announced the launch of the NEXTflex-96™ DNA Barcodes, which significantly increases next generation sequencing throughput by using barcoded indices to run multiple samples in parallel. The ability to increase the scale of next generation sequencing (NGS) is a critical requirement needed to make personalized sequencing a reality. Multiplexing is a big step in that direction.

The NEXTflex-96 DNA Barcodes allow users to pool multiple library preparations in a single flow cell lane. The NEXTflex-96 DNA Barcodes accomplish this by providing 96 indexed adapters, each of which contains a unique 8 nt sequence. The indices are designed to be error resistant and allowing for proper differentiation between samples. Using the NEXTflex-96 DNA Barcodes, the index is added to the sample during the adapter ligation step, allowing PCR amplification to be reduced or eliminated, thus minimizing amplification-based bias and preventing poor reads from single base errors introduced during PCR. These barcodes can be used to multiplex genomic DNA, RNA and ChIP sequencing libraries.

According to Dr. Masoud Toloue, Bioo Scientific’s Director of Genomics Research, “The latest, second generation sequencing platforms have a great capacity for simultaneous re-sequencing of large numbers of samples, using short identifying index sequences and achieving adequate coverage. Using the NEXTflex protocol with built in double error correction, users can multiplex 96 samples and reduce day to day sequencing variability. We expect this to dramatically increase sequencing and gene capture throughput.”

The NEXTflex-96 DNA Barcodes have been optimized for use with the NEXTflex DNA Sequencing Kit but can also be used with other Illumina library prep protocols. Each set of barcodes has been functionally validated with Illumina GAIIx & HiSeq 2000 sequencing platforms. For people who want to multiplex but do not need 96 barcodes, Bioo Scientific offers flexible options with the NEXTflex™ DNA Barcodes which are supplied in sets of 6, 12, 24, or 48 unique barcodes.