DNA sequencing used to be a tool accessible to only the biggest and most well-financed research programs. Agriplex Genomics changed that when they unveiled PlexSeq, a multiplexing technology for mid-density SNP genotyping based on amplicon sequencing, which decreased both the time and cost of genotyping. Now, Agriplex Genomics is pleased to make their genotyping technology available to even more research and breeding programs.
This spring, AgriPlex Genomics will be launching a new program called AgriPlex Connect, a communal mid-density SNP panel creation and validation platform that allows customers access to lower cost, faster genotyping services than ever before.
The game changing concept, made possible by collaboration between AgriPlex Genomics and the wider agricultural research community, works like this:
Over the coming months, AgriPlex Genomics will be coordinating the creation of crop-specific consortia: groups of academic, public sector, and industry researchers who share genotyping interests in a specific crop. Led by AgriPlex Genomics, members of each crop-specific consortium will work together to create a comprehensive list of each member’s research priorities and the corresponding genetic markers for those priorities. Next, AgriPlex Genomics will create a PlexSeq panel based on the group’s identified markers. Finally, AgriPlex Genomics will use this panel to conduct a validation study using all participants’ sample submissions. This will simultaneously accomplish all participants’ immediate genotyping needs, while creating a validated marker panel that will be made available to the wider community.
“It’s not so much the number of SNPs that drives the cost of genotyping panels. The real driver of cost is the number of samples. What we realised is that, if we could offer customers a way to combine their samples, we could reduce the cost per sample for everyone,” says Beni Kaufman, director of operations at AgriPlex Genomics.
“It’s a win-win for everyone. There isn’t any risk or cost to join an AgriPlex Connect consortium, and the price can only become less expensive as additional participants submit samples.”
Once the panel is validated by the participants, each panel will be made available to the larger research community to draw additional participants for future runs of that panel.
In addition to reduced cost per sample, the consortium panel concept allows expedited timing. AgriPlex Genomic’s intention is to announce upcoming panels by month, accept appropriate samples until a set date; run the panel approximately one week later, and have results back to participants shortly thereafter. AgriPlex Genomics will define the frequency of each panel’s sequencing by demand.
For additional information, please visit agriplexgenomics.com
