Illumina launches Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits

Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) today introduced the Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kit, the easiest way for researchers to prepare and sequence small genomes, PCR amplicons, and plasmids. When paired with Illumina's MiSeq system, Nextera XT provides the fastest time to result of any next-generation sequencing technology currently available, enabling researchers to go from genomic DNA to analyzed data in less than 8 hours.    

Nextera is the industry's fastest sequencing sample preparation technology, with a simple assay that fragments DNA and inserts sequencing adapters and barcodes, all in a single tube. Nextera XT builds on this foundation with its cost-effective and improved workflow. The kit's innovative sample normalization procedure eliminates the need for library quantitation prior to sample pooling and sequencing.

"Whether you are sequencing bacterial or viral genomes, plasmids, or PCR amplicons, the Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation kit delivers the fastest time to answer," said Christian Henry, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Illumina's Genomic Solutions Business. "Researchers will easily and cost-effectively be able to prepare a large number of amplicons by simultaneously pooling and preparing them with Nextera XT. Up to 96 samples can then be combined and rapidly sequenced to enable flexible and scalable study design."

Additionally, Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits offer unique benefits to researchers including:

• Support for both the MiSeq and HiSeq® sequencing platforms
• Integrated barcodes to support up to 96 samples per MiSeq run; up to 1,536 samples per HiSeq 2000 run; and, up to 384 samples per HiSeq 2500 run in rapid run mode
• A 90-minute total sample preparation workflow, with the ability to manually process up to 900 samples per week

"Nextera XT made transitioning our targeted HIV amplicon sequencing experiments to the MiSeq system extremely easy," said Dr. Jacques Corbeil from the Infectious Disease Research Center in Quebec and Canada Research Chair in Medical Genomics. "The output of the MiSeq system helps us screen many more samples rapidly, and its high-quality data enables us to detect low-frequency HIV variants."