The new technologies address library normalization and amplification accuracy for high-throughput and oncology sequencing.
Watchmaker Genomics announced the launch of two new technologies designed to address bottlenecks in next-generation sequencing workflow scalability and amplification accuracy.
The launches include the EquiPlex Normalization Kit, which uses a novel Cas9-based approach to simplify library normalization, and Equinox Prime Library Amplification Master Mix, which is engineered to improve accuracy in repetitive genomic regions.
“Sequencing workflows continue to grow in scale and complexity, but many of the core bottlenecks researchers face today remain fundamentally unchanged,” says Trey Foskett, CEO of Watchmaker, in a release. “These launches reflect our focus on engineering technologies that not only improve data quality but also simplify workflows and enable researchers to operate more efficiently at scale.”
Simplifying Library Pooling
The EquiPlex Normalization Kit repurposes CRISPR-Cas9 technology as a stoichiometric molecular binding tool rather than a cutting enzyme. The technology captures a fixed number of molecules from each library regardless of the starting concentration, which allows for automated normalization across various sample types and applications.
According to the company, the workflow removes the need for library concentration quality control, dilution calculations, and variable-volume pipetting steps. These manual steps are often difficult to automate and can contribute to pooling variability and sequencing imbalance.
“Normalization of libraries prior to pooling has always been an annoyance, especially when working at scale,” says Graham Wiley, PhD, director of clinical genomics center at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, in a release. “Our previous pipelines would often still have an amount of variability that left us needing to perform additional sequencing to reach coverage goals. With Equiplex we’ve finally found the level of pooling consistency we were searching for.”
Watchmaker is also adapting this normalization strategy for a new PCR-free whole genome sequencing (WGS) solution intended to streamline fragmentation and library construction.
Improving Amplification Accuracy
The Equinox Prime Library Amplification Master Mix is a next-generation solution designed to reduce polymerase slippage in homopolymer and repetitive genomic regions. These areas are often prone to indel artifacts, which can impact data quality.
The technology aims to improve variant calling accuracy for applications where indel precision is vital, such as somatic oncology workflows and microsatellite instability profiling. It also supports performance in WGS, whole exome sequencing, and other sequencing applications.
In addition to improved accuracy, the master mix provides high library yields and uniform GC coverage to support demanding sequencing workflows.
“Researchers have historically had to make trade-offs in library amplification performance, balancing yield and coverage uniformity against sequencing accuracy depending on the application,” says Brian Kudlow, chief scientific officer of Watchmaker, in a release. “Equinox Prime was engineered to eliminate those compromises by delivering improved indel accuracy in repetitive regions alongside low error rates, high yields, and even GC coverage in a single solution.”
Photo caption: Watchmaker kit
Photo credit: Watchmaker Genomics
