At the 14th International Conference on Genomics (ICG-14) held in Shenzhen on October 25, MGI released its new one-stop sequencing package, including the portable "express" sequencing system DNBSEQ E series, the modular "digital biolab" DNBelab D series for use with the sequencing system, and a new single "cell" DNBelab C series, a handheld single-cell laboratory that can fit into a pocket.

MGI’s new tools can be customized or upgraded according to user needs, providing an ideal overall package for the industry. The whole set of equipment is compact and portable. The desktop system is less than 0.1 square meters in size. At the same time, the package is highly automated, with manual steps of less than 10 minutes for the entire process, which can go from DNA samples to report in as little as 8 hours. In addition to the new instruments, today MGI also released a series of antibody-based sequencing reagents, the CoolMPS^TM high-throughput sequencing reagent kit.

"MGI has a vision to enable effective and affordable healthcare packages for all," said Mu Feng, chief executive officer of MGI. "We are working to transform sequencing technology and enable our industry’s next big breakthroughs. From the most powerful sequencer to portable, handheld instruments, MGI has continuously innovated its products and technologies, and we now have a much more comprehensive and diversified portfolio."

DNBSEQ E series: Express mobile super-sequencing cube

As a portable sequencing system, the DNBSEQ E series products breaks every norm by integrating both fluidic and optical systems of traditional sequencers into a disposable cartridge. This design results in significant reagent conservation, faster run time and cost-effective operation, while significantly reducing the daily pipeline cleaning and maintenance of the instrument. In addition, because there is no traditional liquid path and optical system in the machine, the DNBSEQ E series products do not need a clean room, which makes DNBSEQ E sequencers highly adaptable for varied operating environments; the small portable device occupies less than 0.1 square meters (1 square foot) of space.

DNBSEQ E Portable Gene Sequencing System

DNBelab D series: Digital biology lab

The DNBelab D series of modular digital biology labs complement the sequencing system as a complete set of sequencing packages. DNBelab D series is built on digital nanofluidics technology, which has been proven for precise and versatile droplet manipulation in nanoliter- to microliter- scale, enabling the integration of complex sample pre-treatment processes into one single cartridge and a fully automated workflow without human intervention. With abundant predefined and validated functions, and the flexibility of creating custom droplet manipulation scripts, what DNBelab D series can do is endless. Now users can finally focus on developing applications with their first easy-to-use, miniaturized digital lab.

DNBelab D Modular Digital Biolab

This new one-stop sequencing package can be customized on demand, upgraded for throughput, or run independently, based on user needs and operating habits. From DNA to digital library construction, to on-machine sequencing and off-machine reporting, the manual operation time of the entire process is less than 10 minutes. At the same time, since the CMOS sensor reads the DNA sequence directly from the DNB patterned arrays, significantly reducing run time. The DNA sample to report process can be completed in as little as 8 hours. Due to its fast turnaround, simple operation, high accuracy, compact size and low operating environment requirements, the package is suitable for a wide range of applications, from basic scientific research applications to clinical applications such as tumor gene detection, rapid identification of pathogens and reproductive health. It can be extended to judicial field materials, field surveys, environmental testing, etc.

DNBelab C series: Cell-focused portable single-cell omics series

The new DNBelab C series single cell omics products released are portable, economical and user-friendly single cell research packages for all life science laboratories. The current products include the DNBelab C4 portable single cell system and DNBelab C series single cell RNA library preparation kit. As a "single cell laboratory that can be packed into a pocket," the entire device weighs only about 220 grams (less than half a pound). The handheld device operates with no power supply required, directly driven by negative pressure. Single cell sorting with barcoding can be done with a one-step pull, achieving a high degree of automation and greatly simplifying the steps for users.. The method currently can capture 1,000 to 4,000 cells every time, with doublet rate of 1% to 5% and it is compatible with three different sequencing systems, DNBSEQ-T7, DNBSEQ-G400 [1] and DNBSEQ-G50 [1], to meet the needs of various users. The program can be used with MGI’s ultra-high throughput sequencer DNBSEQ-T7 to achieve nearly 100 samples per day and obtain 100,000 cells. Together with the MGI family of gene sequencers and recommended single-cell analysis software, it is possible to achieve high-throughput sequencing data and analysis results from cell suspensions to labeled single-cell RNA libraries. 

DNBelab C4 portable single-cell system

CoolMPS^TM high-throughput sequencing reagent kits released

CoolMPS is a fundamentally unique antibody-based chemistry to enable more accurate, efficient and longer reads with Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS). CoolMPS avoids DNA "scars" that can accumulate with traditional sequencing methods and affect the accuracy of subsequent reads. CoolMPS introduces unlabeled nucleotides and four fluorescent labeled antibodies in its sequencing process to recognize the incorporated bases. In this new process, the natural scarless bases are added in each sequencing cycle, enabling more accurate and longer reads. MGI has demonstrated the early results of the CoolMPS sequencing chemistry method at the annual meeting of the American Society for Human Genetics (ASHG) on Oct. 16, indicating that CoolMPS performed with high accuracy, reproducibility and cost effectiveness and produced data on the DNBSEQ^TM sequencing platform comparable to the existing platform.

CoolMPS High Throughput Sequencing Reagent Kit

Improving the quality while lowering the cost of high-throughput sequencing through these new technologies and advanced engineering can help to drive implementation of genomics-based health monitoring and other applications that require comprehensive, accurate and affordable sequencing-based tests, greatly expanding applications.

For MGI, intelligence, portability, and automation have become the main themes of new products at this year’s ICG conference. With sequencing applications moving into more market segments, cost-effective, user-friendly products will be increasingly in demand. The launch of these new products will help MGI to further expand the diversified sequencing market, helping the industry to advance and bringing more opportunities for rapid growth.

[1] DNBSEQ-G400 and DNBSEQ-G50 are named MGISEQ-2000 and MGISEQ-200, respectively (their original product names) in China and select countries.