Automation in RNA Library Preparation at Harvard Medical School

Streamlined RNA Library Prep with firefly® System

The Biopolymer Facility (BPF) genomic core at Harvard Medical School has successfully utilized SPT Labtech’s firefly® liquid handling platform for automating the NEBNext® UltraExpress® RNA Library Prep kits. This automation includes processes for both rRNA depletion and polyadenylated mRNA enrichment.

The NEBNext® UltraExpress® RNA Library Prep kits are designed for efficiency, employing a single adapter dilution and PCR cycling condition throughout the entire input range, which minimizes bead clean-up steps and accelerates the library construction process.

Improved RNA Library Production

Using the combined capabilities of the NEBNext® UltraExpress® and firefly®, high-quality, reproducible libraries for Illumina® sequencing can be generated swiftly with RNA inputs ranging from 25 ng to 250 ng. The automation significantly enhances sequencing services at core facilities like BPF.

• Streamlined workflows with fewer clean-up steps.
• Consistent high data quality across various RNA inputs.
• Reduced total time and consumables required.

Conclusion

The integration of NEBNext® UltraExpress® kits with the firefly® system is proving to be a highly effective and efficient approach for RNA library production, paving the way for faster and more accessible NGS data generation. This advancement supports high-throughput genomics efforts across diverse research projects.

Acknowledgments

This article references contributions from Huw Rees and colleagues from SPT Labtech and the Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School.