Detect Multiple Species Within A Mixed Sample

In conversations with QC pharmaceutical professionals, members of our Scientific Portfolio Specialist team have heard requests for:

  • A way to sequence the 16S rRNA or ITS2 region of microorganisms in mixed populations efficiently and accurately
  • Support for multiplexing to provide deeper insight into the microbiota in their facility, even of species that are difficult to culture or have not previously been characterized
  • Deeper technical partnerships with proven professionals who can offer support in contamination identification and offer insights so effective meaningful action may be taken

That drove the Accugenix® team to build a Targeted Amplicon Sequencing service that could:

  • Focus on specific regions of interest, achieving higher sensitivity, accuracy, and provide a comprehensive view of mixed microbial communities
  • Provide identification in cases where Sanger sequencing was unsuccessful
  • Connect customers with an integrated global network of labs, bioinformaticians, and specialists who interpret your results, and provide post-report support 
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Accugenix® NGS Case Study – Available for a limited time
Learn how a pharmaceutical company used Accugenix NGS to identify sources of contamination, track areas common to each strain, track how that organism spreads through the environment, and eliminate the sources of contamination.
Read the Case Study

 Accugenix® Targeted Amplicon Sequencing 

Using Accugenix TAS services, you can amplify specific regions of DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then sequence those regions using Next-Generation Sequencing technologies. This approach allows for the identification of individual species within a complex community, even those that are difficult to culture, or have not been previously characterized.

With Accugenix TAS, DNA from hundreds of species can be amplified and sequenced in a single run, streamlining workflows compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, Targeted Amplicon Sequencing of the ITS2 region of DNA encoding ribosomal genes compared to sequencing whole fungal genomes is important for identification of fungal species due to limited representation of fungal genomes in public libraries.

  • Applications
    • Environmental water profiling
    • Environmental monitoring    
    • Pharmaceutical water profiling
    • Identification of non-culturable organisms, specifically sterility failures
    • Agricultural soil profiling  
    • Probiotic/kombucha/kefir/fermented food profiling
    • Food and beverage profiling
    • Profiling of mixed species populations

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Next-Generation Sequencing Webinar- Available for a Limited Time
In this webinar, Tara Cassidy, NGS Account Manager of Microbial Solutions at Charles River, provides a deeper understanding of how to leverage NGS to identify, classify, and understand microbes in mixed and pure samples by either targeting genes of interest or analyzing the entire genome.
Watch the Webinar

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About NGS Target Amplicon Sequencing Services

  • What is NGS Targeted Amplicon Sequencing?

    NGS Targeted Amplicon Sequencing is a cutting-edge technology that uses highly specific oligonucleotides to target specific regions of interest in a genome. This method allows for highly efficient species identification and characterization, especially for unculturable or difficult to culture organisms. By utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing, samples with mixed microbial populations can easily be studied without the need for subculturing or even maintaining live samples.

  • What is the NGS Targeted Amplicon Sequencing process?

    Oligonucleotides are used to target and amplify the desired region of interest in the DNA using PCR, creating millions of copies of the specific region. The amplified DNA is then sequenced using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) workflows, resulting in millions of reads (pieces of target DNA). NGS technologies also allow analysis of many samples at one time by uniquely barcoding each sample. After a sequencing run has finished, the millions of reads are bioinformatically separated into their respective sample groups (using the barcodes as a guide) and compared to a database for identification of the organisms in a sample. This process allows the lab to efficiently sequence and analyze different types of samples at once.

  • What are the advantages of NGS Targeted Amplicon Sequencing over Sanger sequencing-based approaches?

    NGS Targeted Amplicon Sequencing offers numerous advantages over Sanger sequencing-based approaches. Similar to Sanger workflows, Accugenix® TAS services provide a highly targeted approach to focus specifically on regions of interest. However, NGS-based methods for Targeted Amplicon Sequencing do not require isolated colonies or culturable organisms. These distinct advantages save time and resources and permit analysis of samples previously difficult or impossible to analyze using Sanger sequencing methods. Furthermore, the Accugenix TAS service serves as a backup to the Sanger sequencing-based AccuGENX-ID services in cases where limitations to Sanger sequencing prevent identification of the organism(s) in a sample.

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