BGI Increases Long-Read Sequencing Capacity With Purchase Of 10 PacBio Sequel Systems

By Bio-IT World Staff

January 25, 2018 | BGI and Pacific Biosciences today announced an agreement by BGI Genomics to purchase an additional 10 Sequel Systems. This will significantly expand the capacity for Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing for BGI’s global sequencing service business, which currently operates two Sequel Systems and a PacBio RS II Sequencing System.

“We have been very impressed with the SMRT Sequencing technology. The Sequel System will allow BGI to meet the growing demand for SMRT Sequencing services for bacterial, plant, and animal de novo, transcriptomics, and epigenomics sequencing, and also in fields outside of agriculture, such as in conservation biology...,” said Gao Qiang, CEO of BGI Tech, in a press release. “The addition of the Sequel Systems enables BGI to increase capacity and offer additional services in whole genome re-sequencing and other long-read-based applications.”

The Sequel System provides a depth of genetic information through exceptionally long sequencing reads, uniform coverage, and the highest consensus accuracy available today. The technology allows scientists to go beyond fragmented draft genomes and generate the most comprehensive and high-quality de novo assemblies. 

“BGI has continually expanded its SMRT Sequencing capacity based on steadily rising demand from its vast user base,” Michael Hunkapiller, Chairman and CEO of PacBio, said in a written statement. “We are pleased to see that a surge in interest for highly accurate, long-read SMRT Sequencing has allowed BGI to dramatically enhance its service business with these high-throughput, smaller-footprint Sequel Systems.”