Recovery above 70%
Voltage control in each channel keeps the recovery of selected fragments above 70%.
Ranger® Technology · DNA size selection
Yourgene Health — automated DNA fragment selection by size
Yourgene Health instruments with Ranger® Technology automate gel electrophoresis. They select DNA fragments by size, measure fragment length and quantify DNA fluorometrically. Their portfolio includes three instruments: LightBench®, LightBench® Discover and NIMBUS Select.
- >70% Recovery of selected fragments
- 97% Repeatable selection precision
- <35 µl DNA sample volume
- up to 96 Samples per run
About the company
Size selection without cutting gels
Yourgene Health uses Ranger® Technology in its DNA size selection instruments. It replaces the manual workflow in which a gel is cast, samples are loaded and, after electrophoresis, a gel slice with the target fragments is cut out and the DNA is recovered from it.
Besides size selection, the instruments measure fragment length and quantify DNA fluorometrically. They are therefore also used for quality control before next-generation sequencing (NGS). Applications include NIPT, oncology, gene synthesis and long-read sequencing.
Technology
Ranger® — electrophoresis guided by intelligent image analysis
Ranger® separates DNA molecules in a gel by size and charge. A camera records the electrophoresis in real time. Patented algorithms use the image to determine where the target fragments are at any moment.
Based on this, the instrument adjusts the voltage in each channel individually. The target fragments therefore reach the extraction wells in all channels at the same time. Two reference size markers are chosen to match the target fragment size.
Concentrated DNA
The selected DNA is collected in a volume below 35 µl, so it is highly concentrated for the downstream steps.
97% precision
Two reference markers chosen to match the target size give a repeatable selection precision of 97%.
Three functions in one
Size selection, fragment length analysis and fluorometric quantification on a single instrument.
Walk-away operation
No casting gels, cutting slices or recovering DNA from the gel. The technician loads the samples and the instrument does the rest.
Ready for automation
LightBench® has an API. It can be integrated into liquid handling systems from other manufacturers.
Instruments
Three instruments with Ranger® Technology
LightBench®
A compact instrument for research laboratories. It performs size selection on up to 12 samples per run, measures fragment length and quantifies DNA. Cassettes can be fitted with markers to match the target size.
- Size selection
- 0–20 kb+, up to 12 samples, 1–4 h
- Fragment analysis
- 50 bp – 20 kb+, 24–48 samples, 20–40 min
- Quantification
- detection limit 0.2 ng, accuracy ±15%
- Recovery
- 70–80%
- Dimensions
- 32.5 × 42.4 × 38.1 cm, 20.5 kg
LightBench® Discover
An instrument for large DNA fragments. Using pulsed-field inversion electrophoresis, it measures fragment length up to 150 kb in under 2 hours. It has two preset protocols: 3–75 kb and 20–150 kb for very long DNA. Ideal for users of PacBio sequencers. Ranger Analytics software reports the average fragment size, sample purity and sample quality (Sample Quality Number, SQN).
- Size selection
- 0–20 kb+, 1–12 samples, 1–4 h
- Fragment analysis
- 50 bp – 150 kb; up to 48 samples below 20 kb, 20 samples in 110 min above 20 kb
- Quantification
- 1–384 samples per plate, under 30 min
- Sensitivity
- 10 ng for DNA smears, 0.5 ng for individual bands
- Dimensions
- 32.5 × 42.4 × 38.1 cm, 20.5 kg
NIMBUS Select
A workstation for laboratories with high sample volumes, developed in partnership with Hamilton Robotics. It automates the whole process: mixing samples with loading buffer, loading the cassettes, controlling electrophoresis and collecting the selected DNA. Samples can be added after a run has started, and results can be passed to a LIMS.
- Size selection
- 0–20 kb, up to 96 samples, 1–4 h
- Fragment analysis
- 50 bp – 20 kb, 192–384 samples, 20–40 min
- Quantification
- detection limit 0.2 ng, accuracy ±15%
- Recovery
- above 70% on average
- Dimensions
- 134 × 75 × 88 cm, 101.2 kg
Comparison
Which instrument suits your lab
Applications, functions and throughput, based on the Yourgene Health comparison table.
| LightBench® Research applications (RUO) | LightBench® Discover Large fragment analytics | NIMBUS Select High throughput | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | |||
| NIPT | |||
| Oncology | |||
| Gene synthesis | |||
| Long-read sequencing | – | – | |
| Functions | |||
| Size selection | |||
| Fragment length analysis | |||
| Fluorometric quantification | |||
| Throughput | |||
| Samples per run | 12 | 12 | 96 |
Applications
Where Ranger® is used
NIPT
Fetal cfDNA is shorter (typically below 140 bp) than maternal cfDNA (typically above 150 bp). Size selection can at least double the fetal fraction.
Oncology
Selection of cfDNA fragments of the target size for liquid biopsy and NGS library preparation.
Gene synthesis
Size selection removes truncated synthesis products, leaving only the full-length DNA construct.
Long-read sequencing
Removal of short fragments that would otherwise occupy detection sites on the chip. Yourgene Health is a PacBio Compatible Partner.
Let's get started
Interested in Ranger® instruments for your lab?
We will help you choose an instrument based on the number of samples, fragment size and downstream application. Get in touch — we will be happy to advise you.