Universal Sequencing Technology
Novelties For Producing Long-Read Results With Short-Read Sequencers

What is the next big news in the age of NGS?

The answer is a cost-effective, innovative NGS library technology that enables short-read NGS platforms to produce super long read results in a simple, fast, and cost-effective way.

This technology is offered by Universal Sequencing Technology (UST), a US-based biotech corporation. Founded in 2015, Universal Sequencing Technology is a cost-effective DNA sequencing technology provider led by a group of molecular scientists and software and manufacturing experts who were associated with Roche/454—the world’s first high throughput Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) platform to be marketed in 2005. With the rich expertise of its founders, UST brings to the table the Transposase Enzyme-Linked Long-read Sequencing (TELL-Seq), that overcomes the incapability short-read sequencers have when it comes to de novo sequencing. It is not unknown that a traditional short-read sequencer cannot do de novo sequencing, fails to provide the insights required to understand genome complexity, and cannot connect health traits to genome variations. With the unique and emerging TELL-Seq technology, UST has changed the paradigm of short-read sequencing.

The TELL-Seq linked read library technology helps short-read sequencers to produce long-read results, with an average of 20kb to 200kb. The innovation is unique because it is a single tube process that does not leverage any long-read-focused equipment. Furthermore, the technology is impressively user-friendly and goes up and running within three hours, and produces rich results from the least amount of DNA input (0.1 – 0.5ng for bacterial genomes; 3 – 5ng for human genomes). Scientists can easily use the library to perform de novo sequencing for microbial research, plant, animal, or insect genomes, and pin down structural variations in organisms and humans.

Additionally, the TELL-Seq kit plays a significant role in phasing genomes to differentiate parental origins of structural variants. Scientists can apply the technology to metagenomics to look into complex microbiome mixtures, including environmental, medical, and marine, in a comprehensive range of applications. “Unlike competitor solutions that are either costly or inaccurate, TELL-Seq is a breath of fresh air with its capability of doing better and more with less cost,” prides Dr. Ming Lei, CEO, and Co-Founder of UST.

UST has signed a co-development and co-marketing agreement for TELL-Seq library prep with Illumina—a company that develops manufactures and markets integrated systems to analyze genetic variation and biological function. UST is engaging in delivering the best technology-enabled tool to scientists for their microbial research and several other applications with this partnership with Illumina. TELL-Seq comes along with the Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Library Prep kit that generates an Illumina sequencing library through a much faster workflow than traditional linked read technologies. With the help of the library, scientists can produce barcode-linked long-reads to process, analyze, and/or detect genome-wide variant calling, structural variations, and de novo sequencing assembly, to name a few.

Leading the new-age DNA sequencing technologies, UST has multiple patents pending for TELL-Seq linked read along with single-cell library preparation chemistry innovations, the latter of which is currently under development and will soon be launched in the market. Additionally, UST is looking forward to carrying out merger and acquisition efforts to further expand its disciplines. “We have always focused on providing best-in-class solutions to scientists, helping them execute their DNA sequencing and research efficiently. The TELL-Seq is undoubtedly becoming go-to technology for them thanks to its highly-scalable and easily-automated feature,” concludes Dr. Lei.