On March 1, 2022 Quantabio, a leading provider of robust DNA and RNA amplification reagents for the most demanding molecular testing and life science research applications, reported the commercial availability of the sparQ RNA-Seq HMR Kit, an ultra-fast RNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation tool with integrated ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and globin mRNA depletion (Press release, Quantabio, MAR 1, 2022, View Source [SID1234609345]). The new kit enables scientists to generate high-quality stranded transcriptome libraries from challenging FFPE or low-input human, mouse and rat (HMR) samples in five hours with minimal hands-on time.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

RNA-seq technologies enable scientists to gain critical insights into the molecular and cellular basis of disease. Specifically, the ability to sequence the coding and non-coding regions of RNA provides oncology researchers with a complete view of the cancer transcriptome and a better understanding of tumor classification and progression. RNA-seq is particularly useful for identifying the oncogenic drivers, fusion genes and gene expression changes in tumors.

While promising, RNA-seq technologies can also be challenging due to complicated workflows, read coverage biases, limited transcript diversity, and high sample costs. The new Quantabio sparQ RNA-Seq HMR Kit overcomes many of these issues with a simple, nine-step workflow that only takes five hours compared to the 20-step, seven-hour process with standard technologies. Scientists are able to generate sequencer-ready libraries in a single day with 33% less hands-on time. The proprietary enzymes included in this kit generate high yields of directional transcriptome libraries from a wide variety of degraded sample types, including FFPE, tissue and blood, along with input amounts ranging from 1 ng to 1 µg. The versatility of the HMR sample input makes this kit ideal for studying applications beyond cancer including gene expression and transcriptome analysis, which may be used in translational research, drug discovery, companion drug diagnostic testing, mouse modeling, etc.

"We have been using the new Quantabio sparQ RNA-Seq HMR Kit as part of the early access program for the past four months," said Tony Brooks, Senior Applications Specialist at University College of London Genomics, a collaborative research facility that provides expertise in cutting-edge genomic technologies and data analysis. "We recently used the integrated library prep kit to sequence large cohorts of samples with varying RNA integrity numbers and input amounts for a cancer cell line project and a postmortem Parkinson’s study. The workflow is simple and fast with much fewer hands-on steps than other assays. We were able to achieve high yields regardless of sample quantity and quality using the same fragmentation time and number of PCR cycle parameters."

"The new sparQ RNA-Seq HMR Kit is the latest addition to our complete portfolio of industry-leading library preparation, amplification, purification, and quantification solutions for next-generation sequencing applications," said Heather Meehan, PhD, Vice President and Head of Quantabio. "Identifying a greater number of unique, high-quality transcripts from low input or degraded samples accelerates scientific discovery and can lead to a greater understanding of how gene expression drives progression of oncogenic diseases. With its unmatched efficiency and robust performance, this new high-quality, ultra-fast kit simplifies RNA-seq workflows while ensuring reproducible results and reducing overall costs."

The sparQ RNA-Seq HMR Kit seamlessly integrates efficient rRNA and globin mRNA depletion with stranded library preparation and is optimized for the rapid construction of high-quality RNA libraries for Illumina NGS platforms. The single-day protocol includes three reaction tubes, nine steps and nine components for sequencer-ready libraries. The kit is available in 24 and 96-reaction configurations and the initial template is prepared with 1 ng – 1 µg of total human, mouse or rat input RNA. For more information, please visit View Source