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Plant + animal biology

Preserve and understand the metabolism, evolution, and diversity of our planet’s plant and animal life

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Plant + animal biology solutions

HiFi sequencing delivers data of incredible breadth and accuracy for overcoming some of the greatest challenges in biology. From accurately documenting the complex genetics of plants and animals to drive conservation efforts to unravelling the unique metabolic capabilities of every organism in detail, the possibilities are endless.

 

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Plant + animal

Efficiently assemble, phase, and capture genomic diversity from single-nucleotide polymorphisms to complex structural variants.

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Fungi

Fungi + invertebrates

Overcome DNA input barriers to sequence small-bodied organisms with workflows requiring little DNA input. Identify host-symbiont adaptations using transcriptomes sequenced with the Iso-Seq method.

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Marine + avian

Marine + avian

Study evolution, obtain insights into developmental biology, and address the challenges of climate change faced by marine and terrestrial ecosystems with sequencing data of exceptional quality.

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Protect species, populations, and ecosystems

Climate change, pollution, and habitat loss impact a concerning majority of species and ecosystems on our planet. To preserve and protect the biosphere against such threats, it is vital to document, catalog, and expand our understanding of the intricate biology of organisms across the full scale of complexity, from cells to entire ecosystems. Our sequencing tools offer powerful multiomic solutions that are applicable across disciplines, from entomology and botany to evo-devo, plant and animal genetics, marine biology, and more.

  • Decipher complex structural variants and single nucleotide polymorphisms
    across phased reference-quality genomes that are easy to assemble, allowing you to better capture genetic diversity.
  • Explore phenotypic plasticity in populations and survey the epigenome
    with HiFi 5mC methylation detection without any changes to library prep or sequencing workflows.
  • Glimpse environmental responses and better understand physiological adaptations
    like hibernation in bears with high-quality transcriptomes using the Iso-Seq method.

For the purpose of biological discovery, not all genome assemblies are created equal

— Hotaling et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021

Infographic showing various applications of PacBio sequencing for generating reference-grade assemblies

Common questions about plant and animal genomes

The Iso-Seq method allows researchers to sequence full-length RNA transcripts to build isoform-resolution genome annotations including splice variants. This means researchers can explore plant and animal transcriptomes, characterize transcriptome diversity across species, and answer questions related to gene function and transcription.

With the new SMRT Link update, researchers can now detect 5-methylcytosine (5mC methylation) in CpG context for every whole genome sequencing run. 5mC refers to a methylated form of the DNA base cytosine which can regulate and alter gene expression. With simultaneous access to 5mC in plants and animals, researchers can answer more questions involving epigenetics and inheritance.

Absolutely. With PacBio’s Ultra-low input workflows an amplification step is introduced to accomplish whole genome sequencing of the tiniest of creatures. Depending on the insect species, some researchers have been able to construct high-quality genomes using the body of a single individual sequenced on a single SMRT Cell 8M.

PacBio certified sequencing providers can be found around the globe and can offer you a wide variety of services from initial project consultations to quotes and pricing, and of course HiFi sequencing itself. As always, if you have a question about whether HiFi sequencing is right for the complexities of your project, a PacBio scientist is never more than a call or click away.

Plant and animal biology in action

Marine organisms

Dive deep into animal genomics beneath the waves

See how HiFi sequencing has been used to uncover unique adaptations in marine organisms and how this can be used to better inform conservation efforts and optimize aquaculture.

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Whole genome sequencing best practices

Look at recommended workflows for assembling reference-quality genomes of everything from cattle and big cats to blackberries, de novo.

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The Iso-Seq Method for plant and animal biology

See how HiFi RNA sequencing with the new Kinnex RNA kit can help you get a better picture of metabolism using full-length transcripts with no assembly required.

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Explore

Did you know we have a library of articles, reports, and papers?

Explore resources

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Sample Preparation

DNA extraction for diverse sample types

Take the headache out of sample preparation for rare and under-studied organisms with PacBio DNA extraction kits designed specifically for HiFi sequencing. Each kit and workflow is easy to use and has been validated on a wide variety of organisms, cells, and tissue types.

Obtain high-molecular-weight DNA while eliminating fragmented contaminants to take your long-read sequencing to the next level.

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Plant + animal biology

Plant and animal biology

Embark on a new voyage of discovery with long, high-quality genomic reads to better document and understand diverse organisms, from charismatic pantherine cats to delicious blackberries.

  • Build reference-quality, haplotype-resolved genomes and pangenomes to better understand individuals, populations, and species.
  • Impute traits of interest to SNPs, structural variants, and complex genotypes.
  • Capture genomic variants on a genome-wide scale for outbreds, inbreds, and populations.

 

Insect and fungal biology

Confidently explore some of the smallest and most difficult-to-sequence organisms with dedicated HiFi workflows requiring only 5 ng of DNA input

  • Assemble, phase, and capture genomic diversity from single-nucleotide polymorphisms to complex structural variants.
  • Examine host-symbiont interactions and adaptations with isoform level annotations using the Iso-Seq method.
  • Deconvolute insect microbiomes with HiFi shotgun metagenomics workflows that allow you to profile taxonomy and function at the same time.

 

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Marine life

Marine + avian biology

Use HiFi sequencing to explore the genomes and transcriptomes of a wide variety of marine species and ecosystems. With highly accurate genomic data, you can better understand how marine species adapt and evolve, and make informed decisions that can help protect life in our lakes, rivers, and oceans.

  • Assemble high-quality genomes to better understand complex genotypes such as bioluminescence.
  • Understand how fish adapt to harsh environments with full-length transcriptome sequencing with the Iso-Seq method.
  • Identify, sequence, and multiplex genomic regions of interest without compromising amplicon size.

 

HOW FAR WE'VE COME BLOG SERIES

Explore this series to learn more about how insect, plant, and animal genomics have evolved over time. From notoriously difficult to assemble large-polyploid plant genomes to all creatures great and small, the purpose of biological discovery is now more important than ever.

Insect genomics     Plant genomics     Animal genomics

Owl representing the "How far we've come" blog series

Applications to fuel plant + animal biology research and discovery

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Whole genome sequencing

Quickly and affordably create more complete, contiguous, and correct de novo assemblies of even the most complex genomes like the 27 Gb coastal redwood.

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Structural variant calling

Acquire high-sensitivity variant calls with low false discovery rates to gain actionable insights across populations.

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RNA sequencing

Leverage the isoform sequence (Iso-Seq) method using the Kinnex RNA kit to obtain full-length cDNA sequences — from 5’ to the poly-A tail — to confidently characterize the full transcriptome.

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Complex populations

Uncover hidden microbiome functions and confidently capture microbial species richness and diversity with high quality metagenomic data available with HiFi metagenomic sequencing.

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Talk with an expert

If you have a question, need to check the status of an order, or are interested in purchasing an instrument, we're here to help.