MicroSEQ ITS Fungal Identification Kit: Clearer Species-Level Answers

An unclear fungal identification can turn a routine environmental monitoring event into a longer investigation. Multiple matches, low-confidence results, and difficult-to-resolve molds can lead to repeat testing, external send-outs, and more time spent trying to reach an answer that is strong enough to support the next decision.

The Applied Biosystems™ MicroSEQ™ ITS rDNA Fungal Identification Kit is designed to give laboratories greater resolution when that clarity matters. By sequencing the highly variable internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the assay supports species-level differentiation across fungal isolates encountered in environmental monitoring and contamination investigations. It is paired with an expanded curated ITS library containing more than 38,000 fungal sequences, providing broad reference coverage for challenging identifications. 

For the laboratory, that added resolution has a practical purpose: fewer ambiguous results, less unnecessary repeat testing, and a faster path from identification to investigation decisions. The MicroSEQ ITS assay supports actionable results in less than one day for routine workflows and works with Applied Biosystems™ SeqStudio™, SeqStudio™ Flex, and 3500 Genetic Analyzers. It also fits within the existing MicroSEQ Rapid Microbial Identification System, allowing laboratories to expand fungal identification capability without adopting an entirely separate identification platform. 

The assay is supported by performance data across multiple instruments and reagent lots. Testing demonstrated ≥99% species match for more than 95% of evaluated specimens across 3500, SeqStudio, and SeqStudio Flex instruments, with high-confidence results also demonstrated directly from live colony specimens. 

For laboratories already using MicroSEQ D2, ITS adds another level of resolution rather than forcing an all-or-nothing workflow change. D2 remains useful for routine fungal and yeast identification, while ITS provides greater discriminatory power for challenging molds and closely related species. The result is a more flexible fungal identification strategy that allows laboratories to use the level of resolution appropriate for the investigation. 

When the cost of an unclear answer is another test, another send-out, or another delay, MicroSEQ ITS gives laboratories a clearer path forward.