Specifications.pdf

Minimum requirements:

The instrument or system must provide nucleotide sequence information from single molecules of DNA or RNA without prior PCR amplification of the molecule. The instrument must also convert molecular signal to individual base calls in real-time so as to obviate the need for external computer servers to process the data. Additionally, the sequencer must be able to sequence DNA and/or RNA molecules that exceed lengths of 40,000 nucleotide bases in length.

Finally, the instrument must be compact and must fit the dimensions of a common laboratory bench (~ 4 ft x 6 ft) in order to be useable in our facility.

• Sequences DNA and/or RNA molecules without the need for PCR amplification or reverse transcriptase pre-processing.

• Has the ability to sequence nucleic acid molecules greater than 100kb in length.

• Has the ability to sequence 5 – 10 billion bases of nucleic acids molecules per run at a cost of 0.0003 cents per base or less.

• Contains a graphical-processing unit (GPU) or computer-processing unit (CPU) capable of calling sequence bases on the instrument without the need for external hardware.

• Has a small form-factor capable of resting on a laboratory bench.

• Must have compatible software and be able to connect data to a PC

• Preferred to include minimum maintenance and consumable cost reductions

• Instrument training

• One year warranty

Descriptive literature is needed:

We will require documentation to ensure that the instrument meets our requirements for the type of sequencing data we require for our anticipated projects.

Use in research projects:

This instrument will be used to generate genome assemblies for forage plant species, bacteria and complex metagenomics samples. Several anticipated plant genome assembly projects will require long DNA sequence reads to resolve larger repetitive regions present in the genomes of these plant species. Additionally, metagenome samples contain a composite of numerous different bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic microscopic organisms. We have developed a method to extract high molecular weight DNA from these samples and intend to sequence them on a long-read sequencing platform.