MWG Biotech/Eurofins Medigenomix Upgrade to a Genome Sequencer FLX for Sequencing Services

MWG Biotech AG/Eurofins Medigenomix GmbH have successfully upgraded their Genome Sequencer 20 from Roche to the next generation Genome Sequencer FLX system.

MWG Biotech/Eurofins Medigenomix were the first international service providers in Germany to offer their customers access to the next generation DNA sequencing technology via the Roche Genome Sequencer (GS) 20 system.

Since the installation of the system at fall of last year, the companies have already been able to finalize numerous sequencing projects for academic, industrial and pharmaceutical research institutions worldwide.

The companies' sequencing platform is based on the combination of classical Sanger sequencing and sequencing-by-synthesis technology, supported by customized bioinformatics, which allows them to sequence and compare bacterial genomes in only a couple of days.

Through the FLX upgrade, the companies will continue to increase and set new standards in velocity for whole genome sequencing and a wide range of genome analysis applications. The companies' major goal is to maintain its high standard service capabilities, while offering technology to their customers.

Whilst the GS 20 system delivers 200.000 sequence reads with an average read length of 100 - 120 base pairs in a single run, the next generation.

According to companies, the GS FLX system can increase the throughput fivefold. It is now possible to sequence 400.000 reads with an average read length of 220 - 250 base pairs, resulting in 100 million base pairs generated in only 7.5 hours and with higher accuracy per individual read and at the consensus level.

Georg Gradl, Sales Manager Sequencing Europe, says: "Based on the experience with the GS 20 in the last months and in combination with additional software tools and processes developed in-house, it is now possible to serve our customers in an even more cost effective and time efficient way."