Access Array (platform from Fluidigm) for 454 library preparation

[Eric Normandeau]

We are doing more and more NGS here in the lab, mostly 454 for now. I am evaluating Fluidigm Corporation's product, namely Access Array (product page), for use in 454 library preparation. The product seems fine and, having been implicated in the manual tagging (MID) and library preparation for two projects, I can see how it would be a powerful approach.

So, I wanted to have your opinion about this product (preferably) or other competing products/companies that offer similar possibilities (Sample Capture and Target Enrichment, Sample Bar-coding for Multiplexed Sequencing, Sequencing Library Preparation Using Amplicon Tagging). Any experience with either the company or the product?

Tell me the strengths and weaknesses

Many thanks!

[njbayonav]

Hi Eric!! I am very interested in your post because at our lab we are trying to implement the Access Array Fluidgm technology to amplify 20-30 nuclear loci in a wide set of samples (over 2000), but we would like first to prove if the methodology is appropriate for adequate genotype fragments between 100-200pb. I have made some quotations for the pilot experiment and the cost is around $130 per sample (assuming we are going to amplify 48 loci in 48 samples, and the cost does include primers and MID's) which I think is cheap but means a lot of money when we are talking just about an experiment. So I am curious about where did you develop your experiments with Acces Array?, here in Mexico is difficult to have access to these technologies. Also I would like to know how much would be the deep of sequencing for an adequate genotype of a nuclear loci using Illumina?, which coverage would you recommend? Any additional comments?

Thank you a lor for any help

[Eric Normandeau]

Hi NJ, I am sorry to tell you that we ended up not using Access Array. I therefore have no pertinent information to give you. Best of luck!

Eric

[njbayonav]

Oh! I am sorry to read that, but I am curious, is there any methodological reason that you have to not work with Access Array? or was just a change of priorities? Thank you

[Eric Normandeau]

We just changed our minds and continued to use the good old method of library prep since we never went to very high numbers of samples per lane. Cheers