This article was originally published Feb. 2.
Expanding its SureSelect capture technology from genomic DNA to RNA, Agilent Technologies last week released SureSelect RNA Capture Kits for targeted transcriptome analysis.
The new kits will enable researchers to measure expression levels of genes of interest rather than the entire transcriptome, and to detect allele-specific expression, splice events, and gene fusions. Agilent developed the RNA capture product in conjunction with researchers led by Joshua Levin at the Broad Institute as part of an ongoing collaboration with the institute.
Agilent offers custom and catalog SureSelect kits for RNA capture to enrich gene products ranging from less than 200 kilobases to 6.8 megabases in total. Kits come in sizes from five to 10,000 reactions.
The company also provides SureSelect Human Kinome kits for RNA to analyze kinases and kinase-regulated genes.
The kits are optimized for several next-generation sequencing platforms, including the Illumina HiSeq and Genome Analyzer, and the Life Tech SOLiD. Samples can be indexed for multiplex sequencing, and the reagents are compatible with automation.
Agilent plans to add automation protocols for RNA capture on its Bravo automated liquid handling system in the near future.