Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, through a partnership with Illumina, offers automated methods to improve processes and throughput in next generation sequencing (NGS) sample preparation. Under the agreement, Beckman Coulter will use its experience in automated NGS sample preparation to develop, distribute and support automation for Illumina’s TruSeq and Nextera sample preparation kits and Illumina will provide technical expertise on chemistry and protocols.

Optimized methods for the Illumina kits are built on Beckman Coulter’s proven Biomek liquid handling platforms and solutions include a unique suite of Biomek methods to address the defined protocol for each Illumina kit. The suites may also automate Beckman Coulter’s Agencourt extraction chemistries, AMPure XP Kit for DNA purification and SPRIselect Reagent Kit for efficient, high throughput, nucleic acid size selection improving important processes for next generation sequencing.

The first suite of methods, for Illumina's TruSeq Stranded mRNA library kit, were developed on the Biomek FXP Dual Arm Multi 96 and Span 8 instrument through collaboration among scientists from Beckman Coulter and Indiana University Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics. Illumina provided guidance on the chemistry, manual protocol and results analysis. The suite covers all steps defined in each protocol and can process up to 96 samples per run. The methods generate quality libraries verified against Illumina’s benchmark sequencing metrics. Pre-programmed methods will also address qPCR setup, normalization and sample pooling.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, 800-742-2345, www.beckmancoulter.com