Free access to single-cell long-read mRNA sequencing tech with new grant
To celebrate its addition to PacBio’s (CA, USA) Compatible Partner Program, ArgenTag (NY, USA) has announced the opening of a grant program to provide access to single-cell sequencing tech, free of charge.
ArgenTag produces the Single-Cell RNA Library Kit for Long-Read Sequencing: a portable, gravity-based microfluidic chip that separates single cells into individual microwells for mRNA capture and barcoding, before conversion of the mRNA into full-length cDNA. This tagged cDNA is then ready for direct long-read sequencing by a number of long-read sequencing platforms, all of which can be conducted with simple pipettes, avoiding the need for specialized equipment.
This platform is accompanied by a suite of integrated bioinformatics tools that can demultiplex reads and assign them to their cell of origin.
The company highlights the utility of long-read sequencing over short-read sequencing in investigating isoform diversity, alternative splicing events and gene fusions, pitching their product as a way of increasing accessibility of these experiments to more researchers by lowering the barrier to entry represented by expensive, specialized equipment.
Spurred on by their ascension to the Compatible Partner Program, which gives PacBio’s seal of approval to the use of ArgenTag’s platform with their Kinnex kits and HiFi long-read sequencing technologies, the company has announced a grant, essentially gifting the ArgenTag Single-Cell kit to successful applicants.
Applications to the grant open today and close on 31 March. Successful applicants will receive:
- Up to four reactions (40,000 cells) of the ArgenTag single-cell long-read kit
- Project planning support and a one-hour debrief with the ArgenTag scientific board
- Sequencing of submitted samples on a long-read platform
- Basic bioinformatics analysis covering demultiplexing, barcode/UMI processing, cell calling, quality metrics and standard visualizations
You can find out more about the application process and apply for the grant here>>>