RainDance Technologies® is a provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions that accelerate human health and disease research. The simplicity and speed of this technology platform inspire researchers to rethink the way they design experiments and approach discovery. RainStorm™ microfluidics technology produces 10 million picoliter-volume droplets per hour. Each droplet is the functional equivalent of a test tube and can contain a single molecule, reaction, or cell. This technology empowers the scientist with solutions that minimize experimental error, provide simple, high-speed workflow, and generate accurate measurements.Application
Targeted Sequencing
RainDance’s Sequence Enrichment application focuses on the targeted sequencing of the human genome – one of the fastest growing segments of the $1 billion DNA sequencing market. Leveraging the RainStorm™ microdroplet-based technology, this application will enable the high-resolution analysis of genetic variation between individuals within populations at a level unmatched by current methodologies.
Targeted sequencing is the most promising step yet toward maximizing the efficiency of next-generation sequencing technology. Sequence enrichment, plus measurement and data analysis, are the three major steps that encompass targeted sequencing workflow. Next-generation sequencing technologies are rapidly advancing the researcher’s measurement capability. Data analysis technology, while computationally demanding, is allowing scientists to functionally annotate human variants of medical importance. But in the sequence enrichment step, there is a critical need for cost-effective solutions that target specific genomic regions with high specificity and sensitivity, enabling the detection of both rare and common variants.
The RainDance application for Sequence Enrichment improves target enrichment uniformity and reduces the selection bias typically associated with targeted sequencing. Uniformity matters because accurate base calling and detection of rare alleles require sufficient sequencing “depth” in sequence analysis. As a result, uniformity is essential for efficiently utilizing sequencer capacity. Bias is the silent enemy of high-throughput experimentation and negates the benefits of next-generation sequencing technologies. When bias is introduced into a process, all subsequent steps become more complex and the integrity of results are compromised.
The RainDance Sequence Enrichment application generates picoliter volume PCR reactions at the unprecedented rate of 10 million discrete reactions per hour. The high-speed sample processing is further enhanced by the fact that the RainStorm technology utilizes a library of PCR primers enabling the amplification of hundreds to thousands of genomic loci in a single tube. This avoids limitations of traditional multiplex hybridization and amplification technologies. The RainDance solution minimizes process-induced bias or error and requires only a few micrograms of genomic DNA.
How it Works
Application Note