SHENZHEN, China, June 6, 2024 – MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (“MGI”), a company committed to creating key tools and technologies that drive innovation in life science, today announced a highly efficient complete workflow solution for agriculture Large-Scale Low-pass Whole Genome Sequencing ( Low-pass WGS ) based on the proprietary DNBSEQTM platforms during this year’s Plant and Animal Genomics Asia International Conference (PAG Asia 2024), which will be held June 5-7 in Shenzhen, China.
Image credit: MGI
The new solution consists of an automated full-process product portfolio designed for large-scale molecular genotyping of agricultural diploid species. The complete workflow covers extraction, library preparation, sequencing and SNP & InDel calling.
The new MGIEasy Large-Scale Non-PCR Library Preparation Kit for Low-pass WGS, available in two specifications, 96RXN and 384RXN, is designed specifically for Low-pass WGS applications with a new plate-based library preparation reagent module. Compared to common non-PCR library preparation kits on the market, this kit cuts out the purification step and completes library construction in three easy steps, reducing the time and consumables required.
Combined with MGI’s advanced automation platforms, the Low-pass WGS solution pushes the performance limit as seen in routine library preparation. It uses the least number of automated tools to match extremely high performance, such as while maintaining a high degree of automation. As a result, large-scale library preparation can be done in a short time, at low cost, and with high automation friendliness.
For sequencing, the High-throughput and Mid-throughput Low-pass WGS product packages feature the DNBSEQ-T7 ultra-high-throughput sequencer and the DNBSEQ-G400 versatile benchtop sequencer respectively, empowering large-scale agricultural genomics research projects in a short period of time .
The initial workflow released includes a pig reference table and data analysis software based on GLIMPSE2, allowing users to genotype pigs without having to build their own database. Free format conversion service is also available for users with an existing reference table to be compatible with the analysis software.
“Since genome selection has been widely used in agriculture, genotyping tools have gone through many iterations, sequencing technology is gradually showing its irreplaceable advantages,” said Duncan Yu, President of MGI. “Low-throughput WGS has been applied to both animal and plant breeding, but not without implementation challenges. Our new comprehensive solution for large-scale pig farming addresses these user pain points and promises flexible automation needs, simplified library preparation, high-throughput sequencing and efficient data processing.”
Image credit: MGI
Powered by MGI’s power generation instruments, this low-pass WGS agricultural solution has a daily throughput of 96 to 1,536 samples and an annual throughput of 24,000 to 384,000 samples (based on 1.0X depth of a pig genome and an average throughput of 3G data samples). It has also obtained highly accurate SNP results from 0.5~1X Low-pass pig ear tissue samples, demonstrating 98.4% consistency with SNP array and 98.1% with 50X WGS. Together with MGI’s MegaBOLT bioinformatics analysis accelerator, it can analyze 192 pig 1.0X samples daily and about 1,536 daily with ZBOLT Pro.
Compared to traditional microarray genotyping, MGI’s new solution offers genome-wide data at the same cost, but captures a wider range of genetic variants, enhances the discovery of new variants and increases the statistical power of genome-wide studies. all while eliminating the high design and startup costs associated with microarrays. The dynamic features of this solution enable continuous updates and optimizations in genomic analyses.
“As a provider of key tools in life science, MGI is committed to providing agricultural scientists and breeders with high-quality, convenient and reliable genome products, while actively driving the development of agricultural research and industry,” added Yu.
The Low-pass WGS product and workflow will be available to order from June 30. For more information on MGI’s latest full-scale, low-throughput WGS agricultural solution, visit
About MGI
MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (or its affiliates, collectively referred to as MGI) is committed to creating key tools and technologies that drive life science innovation. Our focus is on research and development, manufacturing and sales of instruments, reagents and related products in the field of life science and biotechnology. We provide real-time, multi-omics and a full range of digital equipment and systems for precision medicine, agriculture, healthcare and various other industries. Founded in 2016, MGI has grown into a life science leader serving customers on six continents and has established research, manufacturing, training and after-sales facilities worldwide. MGI stands out as one of the few companies capable of independently developing and mass-producing clinical-grade genetic markers with varying throughput capacities, ranging from Gb to Tb levels. With unparalleled expertise, cutting-edge products and a commitment to global impact, MGI continues to shape the trajectory of the life sciences into the future. To learn more, visit mgi-tech.com/, LinkedIn, X and YouTube.
