Roches Diagnostics has entered into a collaboration with 454 Life Sciences who developed the Genome Sequencer system that brings a wealth of new opportunities into sequencing of genetic material. Beyond speeding up genomic sequencing the capacity of the system allows completely new applications of sequencing to be employed. With a precision never seen before it allows for ultra-deep amplicon sequencing and gene expression analysis in just a few hours without the time consuming and tedious isolation and cloning of DNA/RNA. This paves the road for instant mass sequencing in numerous fields of science.
The instrument that can bring sequencing numerous steps ahead is now available. For the first time we are now able to get a speedy and in depth overview of the gene expression of a whole genome, or analyze amplicon sequences to a degree that allows for the detection of rare variants that may play a role in genetic variation. The Genome Sequencer, invented by 454 Life Sciences and sold exclusively by Roche Diagnostics, has the power to accelerate research and open new doors for the scientist working with genetic material.
“We are now able to find those rare genetically variations on an entire new scale, as neither time nor money until now have allowed for these analyses,” says sales manager Jan Buch Andersen from Roche Diagnostics in Denmark. With this technology it is possible to do in weeks what used to take years and at a cost of just a fraction of the price with current technology.
The system is already in use at the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology at “Danmarks Jordbrugsforskning” Foulum. Here the Genome Sequencer 20 System is used as an integrated platform in the departments’ genetic research and is expected to be a future key element in their research. It will for instance be used in the mapping of the entire pig genome as the human genome was some years ago, and in search pathological gene sequences in animals.
The Genome Sequencer 20 System uses a revolutionary technology, deciphering more than 20 megabases in 5 hours on a single instrument. It enables applications such as de novo whole genome shotgun sequencing, high-throughput transcriptome analysis based on SAGE, CAGE, ChIP, or GIS-PET sequencing, or the genome-wide identification of miRNA sequences. With the forthcoming launch of amplicon sequencing kits, a new and groundbreaking application will be introduced: Ultra-deep sequencing of PCR products for the identification of somatic mutations in complex cancer samples or for high-confidence SNP discovery on a population level (medical resequencing).
“Research in these areas is going ahead very fast. Our costumers are ahead of our product line. Every time we release new applications, the end users are finding new ways to utilize the Genome Sequencer 20,” tells sales manager Jan Buch Andersen from Roche Denmark. He expects that the Genome Sequencer 20 will be widely implemented at universities, hospitals, and in the life science industry sector in general.
For more information about the Genome Sequencer 20, please visit www.roche-applied-science.com.
About Roche Diagnostics
The Roche corporation headquartered in Basel, Switzerland is one of the world leading research focused companies in the development of therapeutic drugs and diagnostic products. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnostics and treatment of disease Roche contributes in a variety of fields to improve health and life quality of humans. Roche is the world leader in diagnostics and the leading provider of drugs in cancer and transplantation and leading in the field og virology. In 2005 the pharmaceutical division had revenues of CHF 27,3 billion and the diagnostic division had revenues of CHF 8,2 billion. The Roche Corporation employs around 70.000 employees in 150 countries and is engaged in research and developmental collaborations and strategic alliances with numerous partners including the majority of the shares at Genentech and Chugai.
Billedtekst 1:
Sales Manager Jan Buch Andersen, Roche, Denmark. Telephone: +45 40 71 71 14, e-mail: jan.andersen@roche.com
Billedtekst 2:
The Genome Sequencer 20 System uses a revolutionary technology, deciphering more than 20 megabases in 5 hours on a single instrument