Illumina Technology
User Guide
The instructions in this guide must be followed carefully to achieve the best possible results and avoid delays in processing your request.
Any samples that do not comply with the recommendations may be rejected without compensation.
Note that delays in the processing of libraries will vary depending on the size of the project. It is recommended to contact the Client Management Office for information regarding processing time.
Quick search below
- Starting Material
- Requirements – Quality and Quantity
- Required Containers and Sample Identification
- Service Request Form and Sample Submission
- Sample Shipment Preparation
- Transmission of results
Starting Material
Genomic DNA is usually the material used for all protocols except the circulating DNA protocol. If the starting material is different, you must contact a member of the Client Management Office to discuss feasibility.
Practical advice and good laboratory practices
- Samples should exhibit the highest possible quality and purity. Quality is not assessed at the CES; only quantification is performed
- DNA concentration should be measured using fluorometric methods (e.g., Qubit, PicoGreen) rather than spectrophotometric methods (e.g., Nanodrop), which tend to overestimate sample concentration and may result in an inadequate amount of starting material.
- DNA should be extracted using commercial kits rather than homemade solutions.
- If Trizol is used to extract DNA samples, a final cleanup should be performed (e.g., using a column‑based cleanup kit) before submitting the samples.
- Samples should be treated with RNase to eliminate the possibility of RNA contamination.
- DNA should be resuspended in 10 mM Tris‑HCl pH 8.0; 0.1 mM EDTA, in commercial RNase/DNase‑free water, or in the elution buffer provided in commercial kits.
- Samples should not contain insoluble material, RNA, chelating agents (e.g., EDTA), divalent cations, phenol, detergents, or contaminants originating from the source material (organism or tissue).
Requirements – Quality and Quantity
| Library preparation type | Quantity | Concentration | Volume | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun with PCR | ≥150ng | ≥5 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
| PCR Free Shotgun | ≥600ng | ≥20 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
| Methyl-seq | ≥150 ng | ≥5 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
| Whole Exome (Agilent SureSelect Probes) | ≥150 ng | ≥5 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
| Whole Exome (Roche KAPA HyperExome Probes) | ≥150 ng | ≥5 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
| cfDNA libraries | ≥30 ng | ≥1 ng/µL | ≥30 µL | Ratio 260:280 1.8-2.0 Ratio 260:230 ≥2.0 |
Required Containers and Sample Identification
- Samples must be sent in 96‑well plates, regardless of the number of samples
- Each plate must contain only samples belonging to a single Nanuq project.
- Each plate must be clearly identified, and the samples must be placed exactly as indicated in the sample submission form.
| Accepted Formats | Unaccepted Formats |
|---|---|
| Recommanded full skirt plates : – BioRad Hard-Shell 96-Well PCR Plates, skirted, Cat# HSP9601 – Eppendorf twin.tec, Cat# 951020401 – Corning Thermowell GOLD, Cat# 3752 | – Half-skirt plates – Non skirted plates – Cell culture plates |
| Recommanded adhesive films – Life Technologies MicroAmp® Clear Adhesive Film, Cat# 4306311 – Thermo Scientific™ Adhesive PCR Plate Seals, Cat# AB0558 – VWR Aluminum Foils for PCR and Cold Storage, Cat# 60941-074 |
Service Request Form and Sample Submission
Click on request a service and submit samples to view the instructions.
Sample Shipment Preparation
Click on Samples shipment preparation to view the instructions.
Transmission of Results
A message is sent to all contact persons listed in the Nanuq project as soon as the results of the initial sample quality control are available. The same applies when the library quality control results become available
An automated notification from Nanuq will be sent to the principal investigator and project contacts once sequencing data are available.
Sequencing results are directly accessible via the Nanuq web application.
For more information on downloading data and available files, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Version 2.0_2026-04-21