The use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has greatly transformed biological investigation, as it allows for fast and thorough examination of genomes and transcriptomes. However, the strength of NGS also poses a significant obstacle preparing libraries is frequently intricate, requiring much labor with human mistakes being common.
One important phase in these preparations involves correctly and exactly dispensing tiny liquid quantities into many wells on microplates. The old way of doing pipetting by hand is slow and needs a lot of time, and it is also repetitive work that can cause physical pain to the handler. Studies show that the risk of experiencing hand and shoulder discomfort becomes significantly higher when laboratory workers pipet for over 300 hours each year. With the introduction of automated liquid dispensers, such negative effects will significantly subside.
Automated Liquid Dispensers: Relieving the Bottleneck
Automated liquid dispensers, often referred to as ALDs, provide a strong answer to the difficulties of manual pipetting in NGS workflows. An automated liquid dispenser is a type of robot system that accurately transfers fixed amounts of liquids between containers or vessels, with minimal consumables. These systems can greatly enhance library preparation by automating monotonous pipetting procedures and increasing both speed and precision. Also, ALDs might cut down on human mistakes and guarantee uniformity in samples. This could lead to more dependable and repeatable results from NGS data.
Strategies for Developing Cost-Effective ALDs for NGS
Here are some of the most effective strategies for developing cost-effective automated liquid dispensers for next-generation sequencing.
Third-Party Consumables for NGS
For sample and library preparation, sequencing services and platform vendors may suggest particular (often their own) kits. They might say that these kits are optimized for or validated on their platforms. Yet, the widespread use and comprehension of NGS technologies have made it possible to accept third-party consumables, which could be more economical while delivering equal or superior performance compared with vendor kits.
Magnetize Your Sample and Library Preparation
When we talk about magnetic beads, it’s important to note the many uses of these super small particles in NGS workflow. DNA extraction, size selection, and clean-up can be done using magnetic beads as a substitute for column-based purification. Magnetic beads offer flexibility in scale and handling options, making this method a simpler solution for extraction and size selection.
Automate your NGS Workflow
Automation isn’t only for big high-throughput sequencing facilities. The prices to get into automation are lower than ever, and basic liquid handling systems don’t need to take up more space than a laminar flow hood. Automation of these simple tasks lessens your direct involvement, allowing team members to work on other projects and enhancing the pace of workflow while also minimizing error occurrences.
Track Samples Automatically
Similar to automation, utilizing barcodes for tracking and keeping a database of samples and their characteristics is not only restricted to big facilities. Mixing up two samples or incorrectly labeling data has an equal level of worry for the academic researcher as it does for sequencing service providers.
Scale Down Volumes to Scale Up Numbers and Cut Costs
Working in the 96-well format is not unusual, particularly when handling samples manually. With an 8-way pipette and a calm hand, preparing the occasional plate of samples for sequencing becomes fast and simple.
Multiplexing Does Not Need to Be Perplexing
For instance, in Sanger sequencing, one run indicates a single short sequence. In NGS, if we talk about indexing adapters or molecular barcodes, one run can point toward hundreds or even thousands of libraries of sequences at once. This is the reason why sequencing costs have reduced so much; multiplexing allows you to put numerous libraries on one flow cell. This lets you utilize the full capacity of your NGS platform and therefore become more economical.
Outsource Sequencing and Storage
In the end, it is an important question to ask your team if they require in-house sequencing at this very moment. Any kind of sequencing platform will be a commitment for the future and require maintenance and enhancement.
Or, you could explore the wide range of sequencing service providers available. They already possess set and perfected processes that transform your prepared samples into dependable data. Using cloud apps can also help in decreasing the workload of bioinformatics. These applications are available to take care of your projects and handle the data processing for you.
Challenges and Considerations for Cost-Effective ALDs
Though cost-effective ALDs bring many advantages to NGS workflows, we need to recognize some possible difficulties and points for thought:
- Validation and standardization: Like all new technologies, it is very important to do strong validation and set standards. This will guarantee the trustworthiness and repeatable nature of data produced by cost-effective ALDs. Researchers must have faith in these systems working consistently and fulfilling their NGS tests’ particular needs.
- Limited functionality: Less expensive ALDs may only provide basic functions and lack advanced features, such as high-precision liquid handling. The user interface could also be less intuitive and have fewer options for customization. Researchers should consider these factors while choosing an ALD that fits within their budget but still meets the requirements of their NGS protocols.
- Maintenance and support: Affordable ALDs are created to be cost-effective, yet they may need a different level of user maintenance in comparison with fully serviced high-end systems. People who research this area must think about their technical skills and the availability of help services that they have when looking at various ALD choices.
- Integration with existing workflows: The fruitful application of economical ALDs commonly requests slight adjustments in the current NGS workflows. Researchers must get ready to dedicate time to fine-tune protocols and incorporate the ALD into their laboratory habits.
The Final Say
The development of affordable ALDs is a major step forward in NGS work processes. These devices show an avenue towards better efficiency, superior data accuracy, and in the end, more profound comprehension of our biological surroundings.
While we are facing certain issues with this technology at present time—like the need for further advancement in read length uniformity and adapting to varied sample types—these challenges will likely be addressed soon as new iterations come out on the market. Forthcoming cost-effective ALDs have the potential to make NGS research accessible to a broader range of users and catalyze transformative discoveries across multiple scientific fields.
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