J. Craig Venter Institute to Beta Test Beckman Coulter’s SPRIworks Fragment Library System

The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) has agreed to validate Beckman Coulter’s SPRIworks Fragment Library System I for use with the Illumina Genome Analyzer.  The automated benchtop device reportedly prepares up to 10 DNA libraries in five hours with high reproducibility and consistency.

The SPRIworks Fragment Library System I utilizes solid-phase reversible immobilization (SPRI) paramagnetic bead-based technology. Through elimination of the column-purification and gel electrophoresis-based size-selection steps, the library construction workflow is amenable to automation.

“The SPRIworks system was designed to simplify and automate next-generation sequencing workflows,” explains Patrick J. Finn, Ph.D., director of R&D, Beckman Coulter Genomics. “This will enable users to prepare more samples for sequencing and the customer to fully utilize the growing capacity of next-generation sequencing systems, increase operational efficiency, and maximize sequencing capability.”

Julie Moore, director of marketing for Beckman Coulter Genomics, adds, “Simplifying a complex genomics process such as fragment-library construction for next-generation sequencing provides another example of SPRI technology application to sequencing sample preparation. Working in close collaboration with our customers and genomic research leaders such as the JCVI allows us to better understand the challenges faced by scientists in the sequencing community and to develop robust solutions to their needs.”

Holly Baden-Tillson, JCVI scientist and project manager, notes, “By implementing SPRIworks, we have significantly increased our throughput from six libraries to as many as 20 libraries in a working day, with very consistent library size and recovery. This enhanced productivity will also help us to decrease our library-construction costs.”