At the 2023 AGBT General Meeting, Complete Genomics further expanded its product offering of genetic sequencers by introducing the DNBSeq-T20,* which the company claims delivers the first sub-$100 genome, as well as the ultra-high speed DNBSeq-G99* with low to mid-range throughput.
Complete Genomics’ new sequencers represent the most recent examples of the dramatic reduction in the cost of sequencing over the past two decades and of the increasing diversity of sequencers available more recently. The rapid growth of genetic sequencing technologies over the last decades has transformed the field of genomics and made sequencing accessible to many researchers and clinicians across applications — from transcriptomics and gene expression to whole-genome sequencing, as well as epigenomic studies of various organisms. The new sequencers join Complete Genomics’ suite of sequencing tools for a range of throughput needs from lower-throughput protocols for small labs to hundreds of thousands of samples in large-scale studies.
The ultra-high throughput DNBSeq-T20, scheduled to enter the US market in the third quarter of this year, is the outcome of years of product development and has broken many barriers to bringing the cost of whole human genome sequencing to a record low. A single DNBSeq-T20 can support the operation of six large open-type sequencing slides simultaneously, producing up to 22 Tb of data per day; while a single set of DNBSeq-T20×2RS* can produce up to 50,000 whole-genomes per year, further reducing sequencing costs to less than $1 per Gb including instrument depreciation. The T20 is equipped with six slides and two imagers, as well as a rotating robotic arm, and can produce 72 Tb per run for whole-genome sequencing, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and other sequencing types including pooling different libraries at the same time.
The other new machine announced by Complete Genomics, the DNBSEQ-G99, is equipped for low to mid-range throughput but is an ultra-high-speed gene sequencer based on the firm’s core DNA-nanoball-based DNBSeq technology. It adopts triangular matrix signal spots on a sequencing flow cell for the first time, as well as other innovations in biochemistry, optics, fluidics, temperature control and more, reaching a higher density of data output with an overall throughput of eight to 48 Gb per run. The G99 is especially suitable for targeted gene sequencing and small genome sequencing, requiring only 12 hours to finish PE150 sequencing. It supports reads lengths including PE50, SE100, and PE150, while reagent kits with longer reads lengths such as SE400 and PE300 will be available in the future. With its rapid generation of sequence data, the G99 has already contributed to the discovery of the first imported case of Monkeypox in Chongqing, China.
Complete Genomics also announced a lower reagent price of $150 per genome, or $1.50 per Gb, for the high-throughput DNBSeq-T7,* which is already available. The T7 can generate short reads at up to 60 human genomes per day. With a 20 percent increase in chip density, a single chip can generate up to 7 Tb of high-quality data per day, helping users achieve over 20,000 of 30x whole genomes in one year. It is designed for use both in typical projects with a dozen samples per day and large-scale population genomics studies, national genome sequencing projects, large-scale single-cell sequencing, and spatial genomics projects. The T7 has been used in both the National Genome Project in Indonesia and Genomics Thailand Initiative.
Also discussed was the DNBSeq-G400,* a day-to-day, medium-throughput benchtop sequencer that can flexibly support a variety of different sequencing modes. At 55 to 1440 Gb per run, it can support sequencing and data analysis in areas such as basic research, clinical research, forensics, and agriculture. Boasting optimized optical and biochemical systems, G400 can complete the sequencing process rapidly, providing users with a more streamlined sequencing experience.
Described as being suitable for research involving small numbers of samples, the DNBSeq-E25* is a portable sequencer that generates up to 7.5 Gb daily for low throughput applications, built on the newly designed self-luminous biochemical system. Equipped with built-in bioinformatics, the E25 is designed to run sequencing outside a traditional lab. Complete Genomics said the sequencer can be set up and ready to run in ten minutes, coupled with a turnaround time of only 20 hours from sample to FASTQ data.
“With our integrated offering, we are proud to be a hassle-free, one-stop shop for researchers, scientists, and clinicians in fulfilling their every genomics need from library preparation to sequencing, and data analysis at different scales,” said Rade Drmanac, chief scientific officer at Complete Genomics. “As the aftermath of the pandemic ushered in a new era of genomics, we are committed to delivering products of even higher quality, efficiency, and accessibility to expand scientific understanding, facilitate precision medicine and provide more options to choose from.”
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*Unless otherwise informed, StandardMPS and CoolMPS sequencing reagents, and sequencers for use with such reagents, are not available in Germany, Spain, the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, and Romania. Unless otherwise informed, StandardMPS sequencing reagents and sequencers for use with such reagents are not available in Hong Kong