IMGM Laboratories - your partner for genomic services - provides advanced genomic services tailored to the needs of customers coming from academia, pharma and biotech. (RNA services, DNA services, bioinformatics, consulting)
IMGM Laboratories - your partner for genomic services - (RNA services, DNA services, bioinformatics, consulting)
 

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IMGM Laboratories graphics - Roche 454 GS FLX+ system used for Metagenomics applications - focus on long read lengths
IMGM Laboratories graphics - 16S Metagenomics using the Roche 454 GS FLX+ platform

 

Drive your metagenomics project ahead with the power of IMGM's superior FLX+ Metagenomics services.


Get the complete picture with:

  • Sanger-like read lengths
  • more information per read
  • better taxonomic assignments
  • enhanced profiling of complex microbial communities


IMGM is the first service provider to offer professional FLX+ based Metagenomics services.

We offer 16S, 18S or ITS rRNA sequencing using amplicon-based approaches. In addition, we also offer the analysis of your functional gene of interest (e.g. RUBiSCo).

 

Interested? Then let's get in touch!

For a free-of-charge project consultation and detailed information on our Metagenomics services and prices, please call us at +49.89.895578.40 or use our contact sheet.

 

 

IMGM first to adopt the new FLX+ technology

IMGM immediately opted for the FLX+ upgrade once it became available.

Our goal was to apply the Sanger-like read lengths produced by the FLX+ system to the field of Metagenomics.

Building on our extensive expertise with the Roche 454 technology, we quickly integrated the FLX+ upgrade and successfully completed a series of validation experiments.

In the next step, we adapted our workflows and enhanced our data analysis capabilities to bring amplicon-based Metagenomics to the next level.

Today, we are proud to be the first service provider to offer professional FLX+ based Metagenomics services to our customers.

 

The power of FLX+ based Metagenomics

To demonstrate the increased analytical power of FLX+ based Metagenomics, we are providing real life data generated inhouse during one of our validation experiments.

 

The experimental layout

Shown below are the results of an amplicon-based 16S rRNA sequencing experiment. Published universal primers FP and RP were used to generate the amplicons covering the variable regions V3 to V6 (see Fig. 1). During PCR amplification, MIDs were incorporated to enable the parallel analysis of multiple samples.

 


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Fig.1 Structure of 16S rRNA subunit with variable regions. MID carrying fusion primers FP and RP were used to generated amplicons for FLX+ sequencing.

 

Generating much longer reads

The MID-tagged amplicons of several samples were pooled, subjected to emulsion PCR (emPCR) and consecutively sequenced on our Roche 454 GS FLX+ system. The resulting read length distribution is shown in Fig. 2 in orange color.

In comparison to the read legth distribution generated with a conventional GS FLX or GS Junior system (Fig. 2, in blue), the FLX+ data show a marked shift to longer read lengths with a mode read length of 714 bases.

Due to the short amplicon size used in this experiment, the FLX+ system's capability to generate read lengths of up to 1.000 bases could not be demonstrated.


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to zoom)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig.2 Comparison of typical read length distributions of the conventional GS FLX/Junior systems (in blue) and the GS FLX+ system (in orange). The observed mode read lengths observed here were 542 bases (FLX/Junior) and 714 bases (FLX+) respectively.

 

Improved analytical power

Up to now, the standard for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing were amplicons covering a maximum of 3 variable regions using read lengths of up to 500 bases.

With the availability of the superior GS FLX+ system, however, this will change.

The consequence of the much longer, Sanger-like read length generated here, is that more information is generated per read.
Over 80% of the reads cover 3 and 46% of the reads cover 4 variable regions (see Table 1). Experiments to further maximize the FLX+ data output are still ongoing.

 


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image
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Table 1  Assessment of the analytical power in 16S Metagenomics experiments. Shown are the percentages of reads generated by GS FLX/Junior or GS FLX+ and their coverage of variable regions of the 16S rRNA subunit.

 

IMGM's Metagenomics services - Customer benefits

The Sanger-like read lengths provided by IMGM's Metagenomics services offer you:

  • Accurate identification of organisms or genes in complex environmental samples
  • Improved sensitivity and specificity of taxonomic assignments - down to the species level
  • Accurate profiling of the diversity of complex mixtures within a sample


Our Metagenomics experts would like to offer you an initial project consultation free-of-charge. Just contact us at +49.89.895578.40 or use our contact sheet.

 

   

 

10 Reasons to select IMGM as your Metagenomics service provider

  • Dedicated team of highly trained professionals
  • In-depth project consulting
  • Latest methods and technologies
  • Option to order any or all workflow modules
  • Professional quality management
  • High quality data and valid results
  • Complete and understandable reports
  • Professional business relationship (NDAs, FSAs, TATs etc.)
  • Personal project manager and direct communication
  • Long track record for customer satisfaction and project success


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