Hadfield, UK – 30 January 2024 – UK genomics company, RevoluGen Ltd. has demonstrated a new protocol for automated bead-based high molecular weight HMW-DNA extraction with its proprietary Fire Monkey chemistry.

Under a collaboration with LGC Biosearch TechnologiesTM, RevoluGen has coupled its Fire Monkey chemistry with LGC magnetic beads and LGC oKtopureTM liquid handling robot to produce ready to use HMW-DNA.

The proof-of concept study demonstrated that the production of HMW-DNA suitable for both short- and long-read sequencing can now be automated for high-sample number applications. 

The mammalian cell HMW-DNA was extracted by the automated Fire Monkey magnetic bead protocol on the LGC oKtopure robot. Due to the unique features of the Fire Monkey chemistry the extracts contain very little of the smaller fragments (under 10kb) that are extracted with other HMW-DNA nucleic acid isolation and purification (NAIP) kits and require time and material consuming size selection post-extraction.

The HMW DNA was then sequenced on a single Oxford Nanopore MinION flow cell without size-selection post-extraction and produced N50 results of 44.89kb and raw throughput of 21.03Gb using the LSK114 kit. 

Dr Georgios Patsos, inventor of the Fire Monkey technology and CSO at RevoluGen said, “DNA extraction using magnetic bead-based protocols are now the most widely used. Our collaboration with LGC has demonstrated that our spin column-based technology can be transferred to a bead-based protocol with easy automation. Fire Monkey HMW-DNA extraction can lower the overall cost of multiplexed sequencing and accelerate the uptake of sequencing in many high-volume dependent applications. We look forward to commercialising this new innovation.”

Darren Cook, VP Business Development and Product Management, LGC Biosearch Technologies said, “We are delighted to have worked with Georgios and the RevoluGen team to demonstrate the ability to extract HMW-DNA using our beads and automated sample handling instrument. Their success underscores our commitment to pioneering innovation and our ethos of co-creation with our customers, so that together we can help advance genomics-based science across the globe.”

In addition to the benefits brought about through bead-based automation, Fire Monkey technology unites sample preparation for both short-read and long-read DNA sequencing by providing flexibility to revisit the same original sample for more detailed long-read sequencing after a first run with lower cost short-read sequencing. This can reduce sample handling and storage significantly by only needing to do one extraction rather than two for producing hybrid assemblies cost effectively.