Single Molecule DNA Sequencer to Enhance European Genomics Research

A novel DNA sequencing instrument that enables the sequencing of single DNA molecules in real time will shortly be operating in a major European genomics research center.

The Pacific Biosciences (Menlo Park, CA, USA) PacBio RS sequencer employs third-generation SMRT (single molecule, real-time) technology that is faster than current high-throughput technologies. This advanced instrument combines nanotechnology, biochemistry, surface chemistry, and optics. It is capable of determining DNA sequences in real time by visualizing the reaction of a single enzyme with a single DNA molecule. The process does not require DNA amplification before the sequencing reaction and therefore avoids potential bias. The system is able to produce average DNA reads of greater than 1000 bases, and completes an experiment in one day, instead of one week or longer.

The PacBio RS sequencer, which has only been on the market since April 2011, will be installed at the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB; Germany) in September 2011. BIMSB will be the first research institute in continental Europe to have one.

“The outstanding characteristic of SMRT technology is not only that you can watch how DNA is being synthesized, but also that it enables us to quantitatively determine gene regulation, RNA function, epigenetic gene regulation, DNA modification, and genome structure. It allows us to look deeper into how genes and regulatory networks function and opens new approaches to personalized medicine," said Dr. Nikolaus Rajewsky, head of BIMSB.

Related Links:
Pacific Biosciences
Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology