NuGEN Launches WT-Ovation™ Exon Module for Investigating Compromised RNA Samples

NuGEN Technologies Inc. has announced the launch of the WT-Ovation™ Exon Module—the key component of a solution that enables life scientists to investigate small and difficult clinical tissue samples in exon and gene-level expression analysis studies. The solution is designed to enable amplification of precious RNA for analysis using Affymetrix GeneChip® Exon and Gene ST Arrays.

The WT-Ovation Exon Module is the centerpiece of NuGEN’s complete, end-to-end workflow whole transcriptome amplification, ST-cDNA generation, fragmentation, and labeling. Other components of the solution include the WT-Ovation Pico or FFPE RNA Amplification Systems, and the FL-Ovation™ cDNA Biotin Module V2 for fragmentation and labeling of the cDNA targets. This workflow enables researchers to transform as little as 100 pg of total RNA into targets for hybridization to Affymetrix GeneChip Exon and Gene ST Arrays.

The comprehensive solution enables exon-level global gene expression interrogation of a broad range of tissue specimens such as FFPE (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded), LCM (laser-captured, micro-dissected), fine-needle aspirates, sorted cells, frozen tissue samples, and others. This versatility will help unlock the vast archives of samples amassed as the result of years of clinical testing.

“The Affymetrix GeneChip Exon ST Array platform has made possible two complementary levels of analysis at a whole-genome scale—gene expression and alternative splicing—allowing researchers to investigate gene expression at the level of transcript diversity,” noted Sue Pandey, PhD, NuGEN Technologies’ vice president of commercial operations.

“Until today, sample preparation and access to difficult clinical specimens has been a challenge. The powerful combination of NuGEN sample preparation technology and the GeneChip Exon ST platform addresses a significant need in clinical research, and opens doors for potential discoveries in disease mechanism and pathology.”