Roche Applied Science and 454 Life Sciences improve the Genome Sequencer FLX workflow and help reduce instrument run costs

454 Life Sciences, the sequencing center of excellence of Roche Applied Science today announced the launch of new products and software for the ultra high-throughput Genome Sequencer FLX System (GS FLX).

The new additions expand the versatility of GS FLX system and address two key customer requests: decreased cost per read and improved analysis tools.

Two new plate formats will be available for the GS FLX. A “short read” (100 base pair) kit which produces 30-40 MB of data per run and a “long read” (250-300 base pair) kit in a small plate format. This expansion provides researchers with much greater flexibility in applications, including optimization of cost, coverage, and time to result. The enhanced versatility will enable scientists to do more with the funding they have today, enabling more projects and more discoveries.

Enhancement of the analysis tools includes updates to the GS FLX mapper and assembler software modules. The updated software will be provided at no charge to current GS FLX customers and will be included with new installation of the system. The software has several notable features including, but not limited to:

Ability to incorporate Sanger sequencing reads for assembly or mapping – including paired-end reads for assembly integration of GS FLX data with existing third party software tools, such as Consed
Access to assembly parameters

These new products are the first of many future advances for the GS FLX. With a goal towards enabling the $1,000 personal genome, 454 Life Sciences will continue to introduce significant enhancements to the current FLX system. including significant improvements to read length, data output, and analysis tools without requiring major upgrades to the actual instrument.

“454 Life Sciences is committed to improving the GS FLX sequencing technology and responding to customers specific needs,” said Christopher McLeod, President and CEO of 454 Life Sciences. “The latest offerings enable our customers to target specific applications with the right set of features at the lowest price point.”

The GS FLX system is 454 Life Sciences’ second-generation sequencing platform. It was released in February of 2007 and built upon the success of the company’s first instrument, the Genome Sequencer 20. The GS FLX is named for its flexibility in addressing a wide range of sequencing applications. To date, over 80 studies using 454 Sequencing have been published in peer-reviewed journals and those publications span over 10 distinct applications from whole genome sequencing to HIV mutation detection.

454 Life Sciences develops and commercializes novel instrumentation for high-throughput DNA sequencing. Specific applications include whole-genome sequencing, RNA analysis and ultra-deep sequencing of target genes. The hallmarks of 454 Sequencing™ are its simple, unbiased sample preparation and massively parallel sequencing, which makes large-scale scientific projects feasible and more affordable. For additional information, please visit the article webpage.