Scientists to Sequence Entire Human Genome in Single Run at 17-fold Coverage

Scientists from Applied Biosystems First to Sequence Entire Human Genome in Single Run at 17-fold Coverage

SOLiD(TM) 3 System Enables Generation of 50 Gigabases of Sequence Data from Human Disease Sample Provided by Baylor College of Medicine

Applied Biosystems, a division of Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) today announced that its research and development scientists used human disease samples from the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center to sequence an entire human genome in a single run at 17-fold coverage using the SOLiD 3 System, the only next-generation advanced genomic analysis platform to achieve this milestone to date. Data from these unprecedented throughput and sequence coverage projects was presented by the HGSC today at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Biology of Genomes meeting in New York.

Scientists at the HGSC are currently equipped with 10 SOLiD Systems and are using them for a variety of human disease research programs, spanning cancer and genetic disorders. As part of two research projects, the SOLiD technology, equipped with new bead finding and quantitation genomic analysis software, was utilized to perform two sequencing runs. The mate pair run, which contained a sample from a genetic disorder, generated 50 billion mappable bases, or 17-fold sequence coverage of the human genome, which is comprised of approximately 3 billion bases. The second was a fragment run, which contained a sample from a brain cancer patient, and yielded 30 billion mappable bases, or 10-fold sequence coverage of the human genome.

Ultra-high-throughput genomic analysis systems, such as the SOLiD 3 System, will enable scientists to create a catalog of single nucleotide polymorphisms, and structural variants, or multi-base changes resulting from DNA rearrangements, and insertions or deletions. This kind of portrait of the genetic underpinnings of disease will help scientists to lay the groundwork for the molecular events that occur in the generation of diseases such as cancer.

Richard Gibbs, Ph.D., Director of the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine

"The prospect of a single instrument run deciphering an entire human genome was unimaginable a few years ago, and now it’s a reality. My team continues to be impressed with the performance of the SOLiD System and anticipate that the inherent scalability of the platform and the depth of coverage achieved in these single instrument runs will further our human disease research projects."

Shaf Yousaf, Life Technologies’ Head of Genomic Analysis Business

"This achievement further demonstrates that the SOLiD technology is well-suited for the analysis of complex genomes, and will play a key role in new discoveries relating to understanding the molecular basis of disease. The enhanced software is just one example of how we continue to improve the technology for use in research and medical applications.”

Resources

• SOLiD System
• Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center
• Dr. Richard Gibbs

Applied Biosystems Leadership in Advanced Genomics Technologies

Applied Biosystems is a global leader in providing innovative instrument systems to accelerate academic and clinical research, drug discovery and development, pathogen detection and forensic DNA analysis. The technologies it markets include a robust line of DNA sequencing systems and chemistries to meet the increasing demands of the scientific community for higher throughput, more sophisticated DNA sequencing solutions. Applied Biosystems, together, with Invitrogen – a leading provider of platform independent, essential life science technologies for disease and drug research, bioproduction and diagnostics – is part of Life Technologies Corporation, which markets the life science industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of solutions for molecular and cell biology. Applied Biosystems and Invitrogen products are used in nearly every major laboratory in the world. For more information, please visit:  www.appliedbiosystems.com and  www.invitrogen.com.

About Life Technologies

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE) is a global biotechnology tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research, and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of more than $3 billion in 2008, employs approximately 9,500 people, has a presence in more than 100 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing intellectual property estate of approximately 3,600 patents and exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc. For more information on how we are making a difference please visit our website: www.lifetechnologies.com.