Product Description
Both the quantity and quality of input DNA have a profound impact on the outcome of library construction for next- generation sequencing (NGS). A number of innovations have reduced the amount of input DNA required for successful library construction, enabling routine sequencing of human DNA from a wide variety of sample types. Such high-throughput NGS pipelines require streamlined protocols that reduce input requirements, lower costs, improve success rates, and minimize turn- around times. A reliable method for quantifying and qualifying input DNA prior to library construction offers several benefits for any library construction workflow:
● Standardization or normalization of input DNA results in more consistent library construction outcomes (e.g., yield, library quality) with a fixed-cycle library amplification protocol, and reduces the need for sample-specific protocol adjustments.
● Quality metrics can be used to direct samples into appropriate, optimizedshearingandlibraryconstruction pipelines, to ensure more consistent insert sizes and data quality. Identifying the most appropriate workflow for each sample at the outset minimizes reworking of samples, and reduces average turn-around times.
Quantification methods that rely on spectrophotometry or electrophoresis (e.g., those employing a NanoDrop, Qubit or Bioanalyzer) have significant limitations for assessing input DNA, and provide poor predictions of library construction success.
Such limitations include:
● poor accuracy in the quantification of very dilute samples;
● the inability to discriminate between damaged DNA and template material suitable for PCR-based processes such as library amplification, qPCR-based library quantification, cluster amplification and sequencing; and
● sensitivity to contaminants, which can lead to significant over- or underestimation of DNA concentrations.
To address these needs, we have developed a qPCR- based kit for the reliable quantification and quality assessment of human genomic DNA (hgDNA) samples prior to NGS library construction. The kit employs the engineered KAPA SYBR® FAST DNA Polymerase, and includes three primer premixes and a set of quality- controlled, pre-diluted DNA quantification standards. The primer premixes are designed to amplify targets of 41 bp, 129 bp, and 305 bp within a conserved single- copy locus in the human genome.
Absolute quantification is achieved using the 41 bp assay, while the longer amplicons are used to assess DNA quality (Figure 1). Since DNA damage has a greater impact on the amplification of longer targets, the relative quality of a DNA sample can be inferred by normalizing the concentration obtained using the 129 bp or 305 bp assay against the concentration obtained with the 41 bp assay. This normalization generates a “Q-ratio” with a value between 0 and 1, which can be used as a relative measure of hgDNA quality prior to NGS library construction.
Figure 1. Principle of the hgDNA Quantification and QC assay. A single set of DNA Standards is used to generate up to three standard curves, using three different primer pairs that amplify targets of 41 bp, 129 bp, or 305 bp within a conserved, single-copy human locus. The 41 bp assay is used for absolute quantification of DNA samples. For an assessment of DNA quality, standard curves are generated and samples assayed with the 129 bp and/or 305 bp primer premix(es). Since poor DNA quality has a greater impact on the amplification of longer targets, the relative quality of a DNA sample can be inferred by normalizing the concentration obtained using the 129 bp or 305 bp assay against the concentration obtained from the 41 bp assay. This normalization generates a “Q-ratio” (with a value between 0 and 1) that can be used as a relative measure of DNA quality.
Product Applications
The KAPA Human Genomic DNA Quantification and QC Kit is designed for the reliable quantification and quality assessment of hgDNA samples prior to NGS library construction. These include:
●formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples, which are notorious for variable DNA quality as a result of degradation, cross-linking, and/or other lesions that render DNA recalcitrant to amplification
● samples obtained by laser-capture microdissection of fresh, frozen, or FFPE tissue
●DNA extracted from cells collected by flow cytometry
●free circulating DNA from plasma or serum
●any other low concentration or precious sample.
Q-ratios may be used:
●to predict the outcome of library construction from FFPE and other difficult or limited samples of variable concentration and quality. Q-ratios have been shown to correlate with post-amplification yield, insert size, and library complexity
●forlibraryconstructionprocesscontrolandoptimization. Q-ratios can be used to assess DNA fragmentation prior to library construction; to make stop/go decisions for library construction based on sample quality; or for sample “triage”, to direct samples into the appropriate workflows
●to retrospectively troubleshoot failed samples, or
samples that produce substandard sequencing results
●to detect hgDNA contamination in free circulating DNA samples.
The method is easy to automate and can be applied to any process or workflow that requires accurate quantification of dilute DNA samples, or samples that may contain a high proportion of DNA that is recalcitrant to PCR amplification.
KAPA SYBR® FAST is an antibody-mediated hotstart DNA polymerase formulation. KAPA Human Genomic DNA Quantification and QC Kits are therefore suitable for use with automated liquid handling systems for high- throughput sample quantification.
Process Workflow
Detailed Protocol
- Reagent Preparation
- Sample Preparation
- Reaction Setup
- Data Analysis
- Working Example
Two hgDNA samples were assessed using the KAPA hgDNA Quantification and QC Kit. One sample consisted of intact hgDNA, whereas the other contained hgDNA sheared to an average size of ~300 bp, representing damaged and/ or fragmented DNA. The concentrations of both samples were determined using a NanoDrop spectrophotometer, prior to dilution and qPCR analysis (Table 3, row 1).
qPCR was performed in triplicate as described in Reaction Setup (step 3) using the 41 bp, 129 bp and 305 bp Primer Premixes. The following calculations were performed for the 41 bp, 129 bp, and 305 bp assays:
●Using the qPCR instrument software, the concentration of each diluted hgDNA sample was calculated from the appropriate standard curve as shown in Data Analysis (step 4.5). Values for each replicate qPCR are provided in Table 3, row 5).
●The average concentration of each diluted sample was calculated using a spreadsheet (see Data Analysis (step 4.6), and Table 3, row 6).
●Next, using the same spreadsheet, the average concentration of each undiluted sample was calculated (see Data Analysis (step 4.6), and Table 3, row 7).
●Finally, Q129/Q41 and Q305/Q41 ratios were calculated for each sample (see Data Analysis (step 4.8), and Table 3, rows 8 – 9).
The Q-ratios illustrate that high-quality, unfragmented hgDNA (represented by the intact DNA sample) yields Q129/Q41 and Q305/Q41 ratios approaching ~1.0, whereas damaged/ fragmented hgDNA (represented by the sheared DNA sample) return lower Q ratio scores, with values <1. For such samples, it is expected that Q129/Q41 ≥ Q305/Q41.