Ligation sequencing gDNA - native barcoding (SQK-LSK109 with EXP-NBD104 and EXP-NBD114)

Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Document type icon

MinION: Protocol

Ligation sequencing gDNA - native barcoding (SQK-LSK109 with EXP-NBD104 and EXP-NBD114) V NBE_9065_v109_revAP_14Aug2019

Barcoding of native genomic DNA libraries

  • Requires SQK-LSK109
  • No PCR used
  • Using up to 24 barcodes, achieved through use of both EXP-NBD104 and EXP-NBD114; 12 individual barcodes are supplied with each product
  • Allows analysis of native DNA

For Research Use Only

This is a Legacy product This kit is soon to be discontinued and we recommend all customers to upgrade to the latest chemistry for their relevant kit which is available on the Store. If customers require further support for any ongoing critical experiments using a Legacy product, please contact Customer Support via email: support@nanoporetech.com.

FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY

Overview

Barcoding of native genomic DNA libraries

  • Requires SQK-LSK109
  • No PCR used
  • Using up to 24 barcodes, achieved through use of both EXP-NBD104 and EXP-NBD114; 12 individual barcodes are supplied with each product
  • Allows analysis of native DNA

For Research Use Only

This is a Legacy product This kit is soon to be discontinued and we recommend all customers to upgrade to the latest chemistry for their relevant kit which is available on the Store. If customers require further support for any ongoing critical experiments using a Legacy product, please contact Customer Support via email: support@nanoporetech.com.

Document version: NBE_9065_v109_revAP_14Aug2019

1. Overview of the protocol

IMPORTANT

This is a Legacy product

This kit is soon to be discontinued and we recommend all customers to upgrade to the latest chemistry for their relevant kit which is available on the Store. If customers require further support for any ongoing critical experiments using a Legacy product, please contact Customer Support via email: support@nanoporetech.com. For further information on please see the product update page.

Native Barcoding Expansion 1-12 and 13-24 features

These kits are recommended for users who:

  • wish to multiplex samples to reduce price per sample
  • need a PCR-free method of multiplexing to preserve additional information such as base modifications
  • want to optimise their sequencing experiment for throughput
  • require control over read length
  • are interested in utilising upstream processes such as size selection or whole genome amplification

Introduction to the Native Barcoding protocol

This protocol describes how to carry out native barcoding of genomic DNA using the Native Barcoding Expansion 1-12 (EXP-NBD104) and 13-24 (EXP-NBD114), in conjunction with the Ligation Sequencing Kit (SQK-LSK109). There are 24 unique barcodes if using both expansion kits, allowing the user to pool up to 24 different samples in one sequencing experiment. It is highly recommended that a Lambda control experiment is completed first to become familiar with the technology.

Steps in the sequencing workflow:

Prepare for your experiment

You will need to:

  • Extract your DNA, and check its length, quantity and purity. The quality checks performed during the protocol are essential in ensuring experimental success.
  • Ensure you have your sequencing kit, the correct equipment and third-party reagents
  • Download the software for acquiring and analysing your data
  • Check your flow cell to ensure it has enough pores for a good sequencing run

Prepare your library

You will need to:

  • Repair the DNA, and prepare the DNA ends for adapter attachment
  • Ligate Native barcodes supplied in the kit to the DNA ends
  • Ligate sequencing adapters supplied in the kit to the DNA ends
  • Prime the flow cell, and load your DNA library into the flow cell

Native barcoding workflow

Sequencing

You will need to:

  • Start a sequencing run using the MinKNOW software, which will collect raw data from the device and convert it into basecalled reads
  • Start the EPI2ME software and select the barcoding workflow
IMPORTANT

We do not recommend mixing barcoded libraries with non-barcoded libraries prior to sequencing.

IMPORTANT

Optional fragmentation and size selection

By default, the protocol contains no DNA fragmentation step, however in some cases it may be advantageous to fragment your sample. For example, when working with lower amounts of input gDNA (100 ng – 500 ng), fragmentation will increase the number of DNA molecules and therefore increase throughput. Instructions are available in the DNA Fragmentation section of Extraction methods.

Additionally, we offer several options for size-selecting your DNA sample to enrich for long fragments - instructions are available in the Size Selection section of Extraction methods.

IMPORTANT

Compatibility of this protocol

This protocol should only be used in combination with:

  • Ligation Sequencing Kit (SQK-LSK109)
  • Native Barcoding Expansions 1-12 (EXP-NBD104) and 13-24 (EXP-NBD114)
  • FLO-MIN106 (R9.4.1) flow cells
  • Flow Cell Wash Kit (EXP-WSH004)

2. Equipment and consumables

Materials
  • 1 µg (or 100-200 fmol) high molecular weight genomic DNA for every sample to be barcoded
  • 1.5-3 µg (or 150-300 fmol) high molecular weight genomic DNA for every sample to be barcoded, if using R10.3 flow cells
  • OR 100+ ng high molecular weight genomic DNA if performing DNA fragmentation
  • Native Barcoding Expansion 1-12 (EXP-NBD104) and 13-24 (EXP-NBD114) if multiplexing more than 12 samples
  • Ligation Sequencing Kit (SQK-LSK109)
  • Flow Cell Priming Kit (EXP-FLP002)
  • Adapter Mix II Expansion (EXP-AMII001)
Consumables
  • NEB Blunt/TA Ligase Master Mix (NEB, M0367)
  • NEBNext FFPE Repair Mix (NEB, M6630)
  • NEBNext Ultra II End repair/dA-tailing Module (NEB, E7546)
  • NEBNext Quick Ligation Module (NEB, E6056)
  • Agencourt AMPure XP beads (Beckman Coulter, A63881)
  • 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes
  • 0.2 ml thin-walled PCR tubes
  • Nuclease-free water (e.g. ThermoFisher, AM9937)
  • Freshly prepared 70% ethanol in nuclease-free water
Equipment
  • Hula mixer (gentle rotator mixer)
  • Magnetic rack, suitable for 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes
  • Microfuge
  • Vortex mixer
  • Thermal cycler
  • P1000 pipette and tips
  • P200 pipette and tips
  • P100 pipette and tips
  • P20 pipette and tips
  • P10 pipette and tips
  • P2 pipette and tips
  • Ice bucket with ice
  • Timer
Optional equipment
  • Agilent Bioanalyzer (or equivalent)
  • Qubit fluorometer (or equivalent for QC check)
  • Eppendorf 5424 centrifuge (or equivalent)

For this protocol, you will need the following amounts of high molecular DNA for every sample to be barcoded depending on the flow cell type used:

  • 1 µg (or 100-200 fmol) gDNA is required for R9.4.1 flow cells
  • 1.5-3 µg (or 150-300 fmol) gDNA is required for R10.3 flow cells

Users can start with lower input quantities (down to 100 ng) if performing DNA fragmentation to increase the number of DNA molecules in the sample, or if amplifying the sample by PCR.

Input DNA

How to QC your input DNA

It is important that the input DNA meets the quantity and quality requirements. Using too little or too much DNA, or DNA of poor quality (e.g. highly fragmented or containing RNA or chemical contaminants) can affect your library preparation.

For instructions on how to perform quality control of your DNA sample, please read the Input DNA/RNA QC protocol.

Chemical contaminants

Depending on how the DNA is extracted from the raw sample, certain chemical contaminants may remain in the purified DNA, which can affect library preparation efficiency and sequencing quality. Read more about contaminants on the Contaminants page of the Community.

Ligation Sequencing Kit contents (SQK-LSK109)

SQK-LSK109 v1

Name Acronym Cap colour No. of vials Fill volume per vial (µl)
DNA CS DCS Yellow 1 50
Adapter Mix AMX Green 1 40
Ligation Buffer LNB Clear 1 200
L Fragment Buffer LFB White cap, orange stripe on label 2 1,800
S Fragment Buffer SFB Grey 2 1,800
Sequencing Buffer SQB Red 2 300
Elution Buffer EB Black 1 200
Loading Beads LB Pink 1 360

Flow Cell Priming Kit contents (EXP-FLP002)

FLP

Name Acronym Cap colour No. of vials Fill volume per vial (μl)
Flush Buffer FB Blue 6 1,170
Flush Tether FLT Purple 1 200

Native Barcoding Expansion 1-12 (EXP-NBD104) and 13-24 (EXP-NBD114) contents

EXP-NBD104 kit contents EXP-NBD104 kit contents

Name Acronym Cap colour No. of vials Fill volume per vial (μl)
Native Barcode 01-12 NB01-12 White 12 20
Adapter Mix II AMII Green 1 40

**EXP-NBD114 kit contents** ![EXP-NBD114 kit contents](//images.ctfassets.net/76r1b51it64n/355IyPje5ymq4OOK6maywi/ebb06336aa81351f28d1bc46a1d968f4/EXP-NBD114_kit_contents.svg)
Name Acronym Cap colour No. of vials Fill volume per vial (μl)
Native Barcode 13-24 NB13-24 White 12 20
Adapter Mix II AMII Green 1 40

Adapter Mix II Expansion contents (EXP-AMII001)

EXP-AMII001 kit contents

Name Acronym Cap colour No. of tubes Fill volume per vial (μl)
Adapter Mix II AMII Green 2 40

Adapter Mix II Expansion use

Protocols that use the Native Barcoding Expansions require 5 μl of AMII per reaction. Native Barcoding Expansions EXP-NBD104/NBD114 and EXP-NBD196 contain sufficient AMII for 6 and 12 reactions, respectively (or 12 and 24 reactions when sequencing on Flongle). This assumes that all barcodes are used in one sequencing run.

The Adapter Mix II expansion provides additional AMII for customers who are running subsets of barcodes, and allows a further 12 reactions (24 on Flongle).

Native barcode sequences

Below is the full list of our native barcode (NB01-96) sequences. The first 24 unique barcodes are available in the Native Barcoding Kit 24 V14 (SQK-NBD114.24). The Native Barcoding Kit 96 V14 (SQK-NBD114.96) include the first 24 native barcodes, with the additional 72 unique barcodes. The native barcodes are shipped at 640 nM.

In addition to the barcodes, there are also flanking sequences which add an extra level of context during analysis.

Barcode flanking sequences:

Forward sequence: 5' - AAGGTTAA - barcode - CAGCACCT - 3' Reverse sequence: 5' - GGTGCTG - barcode - TTAACCTTAGCAAT - 3'


Native barcode sequences

Component Forward sequence Reverse sequence
NB01 CACAAAGACACCGACAACTTTCTT AAGAAAGTTGTCGGTGTCTTTGTG
NB02 ACAGACGACTACAAACGGAATCGA TCGATTCCGTTTGTAGTCGTCTGT
NB03 CCTGGTAACTGGGACACAAGACTC GAGTCTTGTGTCCCAGTTACCAGG
NB04 TAGGGAAACACGATAGAATCCGAA TTCGGATTCTATCGTGTTTCCCTA
NB05 AAGGTTACACAAACCCTGGACAAG CTTGTCCAGGGTTTGTGTAACCTT
NB06 GACTACTTTCTGCCTTTGCGAGAA TTCTCGCAAAGGCAGAAAGTAGTC
NB07 AAGGATTCATTCCCACGGTAACAC GTGTTACCGTGGGAATGAATCCTT
NB08 ACGTAACTTGGTTTGTTCCCTGAA TTCAGGGAACAAACCAAGTTACGT
NB09 AACCAAGACTCGCTGTGCCTAGTT AACTAGGCACAGCGAGTCTTGGTT
NB10 GAGAGGACAAAGGTTTCAACGCTT AAGCGTTGAAACCTTTGTCCTCTC
NB11 TCCATTCCCTCCGATAGATGAAAC GTTTCATCTATCGGAGGGAATGGA
NB12 TCCGATTCTGCTTCTTTCTACCTG CAGGTAGAAAGAAGCAGAATCGGA
NB13 AGAACGACTTCCATACTCGTGTGA TCACACGAGTATGGAAGTCGTTCT
NB14 AACGAGTCTCTTGGGACCCATAGA TCTATGGGTCCCAAGAGACTCGTT
NB15 AGGTCTACCTCGCTAACACCACTG CAGTGGTGTTAGCGAGGTAGACCT
NB16 CGTCAACTGACAGTGGTTCGTACT AGTACGAACCACTGTCAGTTGACG
NB17 ACCCTCCAGGAAAGTACCTCTGAT ATCAGAGGTACTTTCCTGGAGGGT
NB18 CCAAACCCAACAACCTAGATAGGC GCCTATCTAGGTTGTTGGGTTTGG
NB19 GTTCCTCGTGCAGTGTCAAGAGAT ATCTCTTGACACTGCACGAGGAAC
NB20 TTGCGTCCTGTTACGAGAACTCAT ATGAGTTCTCGTAACAGGACGCAA
NB21 GAGCCTCTCATTGTCCGTTCTCTA TAGAGAACGGACAATGAGAGGCTC
NB22 ACCACTGCCATGTATCAAAGTACG CGTACTTTGATACATGGCAGTGGT
NB23 CTTACTACCCAGTGAACCTCCTCG CGAGGAGGTTCACTGGGTAGTAAG
NB24 GCATAGTTCTGCATGATGGGTTAG CTAACCCATCATGCAGAACTATGC
NB25 GTAAGTTGGGTATGCAACGCAATG CATTGCGTTGCATACCCAACTTAC
NB26 CATACAGCGACTACGCATTCTCAT ATGAGAATGCGTAGTCGCTGTATG
NB27 CGACGGTTAGATTCACCTCTTACA TGTAAGAGGTGAATCTAACCGTCG
NB28 TGAAACCTAAGAAGGCACCGTATC GATACGGTGCCTTCTTAGGTTTCA
NB29 CTAGACACCTTGGGTTGACAGACC GGTCTGTCAACCCAAGGTGTCTAG
NB30 TCAGTGAGGATCTACTTCGACCCA TGGGTCGAAGTAGATCCTCACTGA
NB31 TGCGTACAGCAATCAGTTACATTG CAATGTAACTGATTGCTGTACGCA
NB32 CCAGTAGAAGTCCGACAACGTCAT ATGACGTTGTCGGACTTCTACTGG
NB33 CAGACTTGGTACGGTTGGGTAACT AGTTACCCAACCGTACCAAGTCTG
NB34 GGACGAAGAACTCAAGTCAAAGGC GCCTTTGACTTGAGTTCTTCGTCC
NB35 CTACTTACGAAGCTGAGGGACTGC GCAGTCCCTCAGCTTCGTAAGTAG
NB36 ATGTCCCAGTTAGAGGAGGAAACA TGTTTCCTCCTCTAACTGGGACAT
NB37 GCTTGCGATTGATGCTTAGTATCA TGATACTAAGCATCAATCGCAAGC
NB38 ACCACAGGAGGACGATACAGAGAA TTCTCTGTATCGTCCTCCTGTGGT
NB39 CCACAGTGTCAACTAGAGCCTCTC GAGAGGCTCTAGTTGACACTGTGG
NB40 TAGTTTGGATGACCAAGGATAGCC GGCTATCCTTGGTCATCCAAACTA
NB41 GGAGTTCGTCCAGAGAAGTACACG CGTGTACTTCTCTGGACGAACTCC
NB42 CTACGTGTAAGGCATACCTGCCAG CTGGCAGGTATGCCTTACACGTAG
NB43 CTTTCGTTGTTGACTCGACGGTAG CTACCGTCGAGTCAACAACGAAAG
NB44 AGTAGAAAGGGTTCCTTCCCACTC GAGTGGGAAGGAACCCTTTCTACT
NB45 GATCCAACAGAGATGCCTTCAGTG CACTGAAGGCATCTCTGTTGGATC
NB46 GCTGTGTTCCACTTCATTCTCCTG CAGGAGAATGAAGTGGAACACAGC
NB47 GTGCAACTTTCCCACAGGTAGTTC GAACTACCTGTGGGAAAGTTGCAC
NB48 CATCTGGAACGTGGTACACCTGTA TACAGGTGTACCACGTTCCAGATG
NB49 ACTGGTGCAGCTTTGAACATCTAG CTAGATGTTCAAAGCTGCACCAGT
NB50 ATGGACTTTGGTAACTTCCTGCGT ACGCAGGAAGTTACCAAAGTCCAT
NB51 GTTGAATGAGCCTACTGGGTCCTC GAGGACCCAGTAGGCTCATTCAAC
NB52 TGAGAGACAAGATTGTTCGTGGAC GTCCACGAACAATCTTGTCTCTCA
NB53 AGATTCAGACCGTCTCATGCAAAG CTTTGCATGAGACGGTCTGAATCT
NB54 CAAGAGCTTTGACTAAGGAGCATG CATGCTCCTTAGTCAAAGCTCTTG
NB55 TGGAAGATGAGACCCTGATCTACG CGTAGATCAGGGTCTCATCTTCCA
NB56 TCACTACTCAACAGGTGGCATGAA TTCATGCCACCTGTTGAGTAGTGA
NB57 GCTAGGTCAATCTCCTTCGGAAGT ACTTCCGAAGGAGATTGACCTAGC
NB58 CAGGTTACTCCTCCGTGAGTCTGA TCAGACTCACGGAGGAGTAACCTG
NB59 TCAATCAAGAAGGGAAAGCAAGGT ACCTTGCTTTCCCTTCTTGATTGA
NB60 CATGTTCAACCAAGGCTTCTATGG CCATAGAAGCCTTGGTTGAACATG
NB61 AGAGGGTACTATGTGCCTCAGCAC GTGCTGAGGCACATAGTACCCTCT
NB62 CACCCACACTTACTTCAGGACGTA TACGTCCTGAAGTAAGTGTGGGTG
NB63 TTCTGAAGTTCCTGGGTCTTGAAC GTTCAAGACCCAGGAACTTCAGAA
NB64 GACAGACACCGTTCATCGACTTTC GAAAGTCGATGAACGGTGTCTGTC
NB65 TTCTCAGTCTTCCTCCAGACAAGG CCTTGTCTGGAGGAAGACTGAGAA
NB66 CCGATCCTTGTGGCTTCTAACTTC GAAGTTAGAAGCCACAAGGATCGG
NB67 GTTTGTCATACTCGTGTGCTCACC GGTGAGCACACGAGTATGACAAAC
NB68 GAATCTAAGCAAACACGAAGGTGG CCACCTTCGTGTTTGCTTAGATTC
NB69 TACAGTCCGAGCCTCATGTGATCT AGATCACATGAGGCTCGGACTGTA
NB70 ACCGAGATCCTACGAATGGAGTGT ACACTCCATTCGTAGGATCTCGGT
NB71 CCTGGGAGCATCAGGTAGTAACAG CTGTTACTACCTGATGCTCCCAGG
NB72 TAGCTGACTGTCTTCCATACCGAC GTCGGTATGGAAGACAGTCAGCTA
NB73 AAGAAACAGGATGACAGAACCCTC GAGGGTTCTGTCATCCTGTTTCTT
NB74 TACAAGCATCCCAACACTTCCACT AGTGGAAGTGTTGGGATGCTTGTA
NB75 GACCATTGTGATGAACCCTGTTGT ACAACAGGGTTCATCACAATGGTC
NB76 ATGCTTGTTACATCAACCCTGGAC GTCCAGGGTTGATGTAACAAGCAT
NB77 CGACCTGTTTCTCAGGGATACAAC GTTGTATCCCTGAGAAACAGGTCG
NB78 AACAACCGAACCTTTGAATCAGAA TTCTGATTCAAAGGTTCGGTTGTT
NB79 TCTCGGAGATAGTTCTCACTGCTG CAGCAGTGAGAACTATCTCCGAGA
NB80 CGGATGAACATAGGATAGCGATTC GAATCGCTATCCTATGTTCATCCG
NB81 CCTCATCTTGTGAAGTTGTTTCGG CCGAAACAACTTCACAAGATGAGG
NB82 ACGGTATGTCGAGTTCCAGGACTA TAGTCCTGGAACTCGACATACCGT
NB83 TGGCTTGATCTAGGTAAGGTCGAA TTCGACCTTACCTAGATCAAGCCA
NB84 GTAGTGGACCTAGAACCTGTGCCA TGGCACAGGTTCTAGGTCCACTAC
NB85 AACGGAGGAGTTAGTTGGATGATC GATCATCCAACTAACTCCTCCGTT
NB86 AGGTGATCCCAACAAGCGTAAGTA TACTTACGCTTGTTGGGATCACCT
NB87 TACATGCTCCTGTTGTTAGGGAGG CCTCCCTAACAACAGGAGCATGTA
NB88 TCTTCTACTACCGATCCGAAGCAG CTGCTTCGGATCGGTAGTAGAAGA
NB89 ACAGCATCAATGTTTGGCTAGTTG CAACTAGCCAAACATTGATGCTGT
NB90 GATGTAGAGGGTACGGTTTGAGGC GCCTCAAACCGTACCCTCTACATC
NB91 GGCTCCATAGGAACTCACGCTACT AGTAGCGTGAGTTCCTATGGAGCC
NB92 TTGTGAGTGGAAAGATACAGGACC GGTCCTGTATCTTTCCACTCACAA
NB93 AGTTTCCATCACTTCAGACTTGGG CCCAAGTCTGAAGTGATGGAAACT
NB94 GATTGTCCTCAAACTGCCACCTAC GTAGGTGGCAGTTTGAGGACAATC
NB95 CCTGTCTGGAAGAAGAATGGACTT AAGTCCATTCTTCTTCCAGACAGG
NB96 CTGAACGGTCATAGAGTCCACCAT ATGGTGGACTCTATGACCGTTCAG

3. Computer requirements and software

MinION Mk1B IT requirements

Sequencing on a MinION Mk1B requires a high-spec computer or laptop to keep up with the rate of data acquisition. Read more in the MinION Mk1B IT Requirements document.

MinION Mk1C IT requirements

The MinION Mk1C contains fully-integrated compute and screen, removing the need for any accessories to generate and analyse nanopore data. Read more in the MinION Mk1C IT requirements document.

Software for nanopore sequencing

MinKNOW

The MinKNOW software controls the nanopore sequencing device, collects sequencing data and basecalls in real time. You will be using MinKNOW for every sequencing experiment to sequence, basecall and demultiplex if your samples were barcoded.

For instructions on how to run the MinKNOW software, please refer to the MinKNOW protocol.

EPI2ME (optional)

The EPI2ME cloud-based platform performs further analysis of basecalled data, for example alignment to the Lambda genome, barcoding, or taxonomic classification. You will use the EPI2ME platform only if you would like further analysis of your data post-basecalling.

For instructions on how to create an EPI2ME account and install the EPI2ME Desktop Agent, please refer to the EPI2ME Platform protocol.

Check your flow cell

We highly recommend that you check the number of pores in your flow cell prior to starting a sequencing experiment. This should be done within 12 weeks of purchasing for MinION/GridION/PromethION or within four weeks of purchasing Flongle Flow Cells. Oxford Nanopore Technologies will replace any flow cell with fewer than the number of pores in the table below, when the result is reported within two days of performing the flow cell check, and when the storage recommendations have been followed. To do the flow cell check, please follow the instructions in the Flow Cell Check document.

Flow cell Minimum number of active pores covered by warranty
Flongle Flow Cell 50
MinION/GridION Flow Cell 800
PromethION Flow Cell 5000

4. DNA repair and end-prep

Materials
  • gDNA in 48 μl nuclease-free water
Consumables
  • 0.2 ml thin-walled PCR tubes
  • Nuclease-free water (e.g. ThermoFisher, AM9937)
  • NEBNext FFPE DNA Repair Mix (NEB, M6630)
  • NEBNext® Ultra II End Repair / dA-tailing Module (NEB, E7546)
  • Agencourt AMPure XP beads (Beckman Coulter™, A63881)
  • Freshly prepared 70% ethanol in nuclease-free water
  • 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes
Equipment
  • P1000 pipette and tips
  • P100 pipette and tips
  • P10 pipette and tips
  • Thermal cycler
  • Microfuge
  • Hula mixer (gentle rotator mixer)
  • Magnetic rack
  • Ice bucket with ice
IMPORTANT

Optional fragmentation and size selection

By default, the protocol contains no DNA fragmentation step, however in some cases it may be advantageous to fragment your sample. For example, when working with lower amounts of input gDNA (100 ng – 500 ng), fragmentation will increase the number of DNA molecules and therefore increase throughput. Instructions are available in the DNA Fragmentation section of Extraction methods.

Additionally, we offer several options for size-selecting your DNA sample to enrich for long fragments - instructions are available in the Size Selection section of Extraction methods.

Prepare the NEBNext FFPE DNA Repair Mix and NEBNext Ultra II End Repair / dA-tailing Module reagents in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, and place on ice.

For optimal performance, NEB recommend the following:

  1. Thaw all reagents on ice.

  2. Flick and/or invert the reagent tubes to ensure they are well mixed.
    Note: Do not vortex the FFPE DNA Repair Mix or Ultra II End Prep Enzyme Mix.

  3. Always spin down tubes before opening for the first time each day.

  4. The Ultra II End Prep Buffer and FFPE DNA Repair Buffer may have a little precipitate. Allow the mixture to come to room temperature and pipette the buffer up and down several times to break up the precipitate, followed by vortexing the tube for 30 seconds to solubilise any precipitate.
    Note: It is important the buffers are mixed well by vortexing.

  5. The FFPE DNA Repair Buffer may have a yellow tinge and is fine to use if yellow.

Prepare the DNA in nuclease-free water.

  • For R9.4.1 flow cells, transfer 1 μg (or 100-200 fmol) genomic DNA into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube, or 1.5-3 μg (or 150-300 fmol) genomic DNA if using R10.3 flow cells.
  • Adjust the volume to 48 μl with nuclease-free water
  • Mix thoroughly by flicking the tube
  • Spin down briefly in a microfuge

In a 0.2 ml thin-walled PCR tube, mix the following:

Between each addition, pipette mix 10-20 times

Reagent Volume
DNA 48 µl
NEBNext FFPE DNA Repair Buffer 3.5 µl
Ultra II End-prep reaction buffer 3.5 µl
Ultra II End-prep enzyme mix 3 µl
NEBNext FFPE DNA Repair Mix 2 µl
Total 60 µl

Mix well by pipetting using wide-bore pipette tips. Alternatively, if you are concerned about preserving the integrity of very long DNA fragments, mix gently by flicking the tube, and spin down.

Using a thermal cycler, incubate at 20°C for 5 minutes and 65°C for 5 minutes.

Transfer the DNA sample to a clean 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube.

Resuspend the AMPure XP beads by vortexing.

Add 60 µl of resuspended AMPure XP beads to the end-prep reaction and mix by flicking the tube.

Incubate on a Hula mixer (rotator mixer) for 5 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare 500 μl of fresh 70% ethanol in nuclease-free water.

Spin down the sample and pellet on a magnet until supernatant is clear and colourless. Keep the tube on the magnet, and pipette off the supernatant.

Keep the tube on the magnet and wash the beads with 200 µl of freshly prepared 70% ethanol without disturbing the pellet. Remove the ethanol using a pipette and discard.

Repeat the previous step.

Spin down and place the tube back on the magnet. Pipette off any residual ethanol. Allow to dry for ~30 seconds, but do not dry the pellet to the point of cracking.

Remove the tube from the magnetic rack and resuspend the pellet in 25 µl nuclease-free water. Spin down and incubate for 2 minutes at room temperature.

Pellet the beads on a magnet until the eluate is clear and colourless, for at least 1 minute.

Remove and retain 25 µl of eluate into a clean 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube.

Quantify 1 µl of end-prepped DNA using a Qubit fluorometer - recovery aim >700 ng.

END OF STEP

Take forward the repaired and end-prepped DNA into the native barcode ligation step. However, at this point it is also possible to store the sample at 4°C overnight.

5. Native barcode ligation

Materials
  • Native Barcoding Expansion 1-12 (EXP-NBD104) and 13-24 (EXP-NBD114) if multiplexing more than 12 samples
Consumables
  • Freshly prepared 70% ethanol in nuclease-free water
  • 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes
  • Nuclease-free water (e.g. ThermoFisher, AM9937)
  • Agencourt AMPure XP beads (Beckman Coulter, A63881)
  • NEB Blunt/TA Ligase Master Mix (NEB, M0367)
Equipment
  • Magnetic rack, suitable for 1.5 ml Eppendorf tubes
  • Hula mixer (gentle rotator mixer)
  • Vortex mixer
  • Ice bucket with ice
  • Microfuge
  • P1000 pipette and tips
  • P100 pipette and tips
  • P10 pipette and tips
Optional equipment
  • Qubit fluorometer (or equivalent for QC check)

Thaw the native barcodes at room temperature. Use one barcode per sample. Individually mix the barcodes by pipetting, spin down, and place them on ice.

Select a unique barcode for every sample to be run together on the same flow cell, from the provided 24 barcodes. Up to 24 samples can be barcoded and combined in one experiment.

Dilute 500 ng (750 ng if sequencing on R10.3 flow cells) of each end-prepped sample to be barcoded to 22.5 µl in nuclease-free water.

Add the reagents in the order given below, mixing by flicking the tube between each sequential addition:

Reagent Volume
500 ng end-prepped DNA (750 ng if using R10.3 flow cells) 22.5 µl
Native Barcode 2.5 µl
Blunt/TA Ligase Master Mix 25 µl
Total 50 µl

Mix well by pipetting using wide-bore pipette tips. Alternatively, if you are concerned about preserving the integrity of very long DNA fragments, mix gently by flicking the tube, and spin down.

Incubate the reaction for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Resuspend the AMPure XP beads by vortexing.

Add 50 µl of resuspended AMPure XP beads to the reaction and mix by pipetting.

Incubate on a Hula mixer (rotator mixer) for 5 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare 500 μl of fresh 70% ethanol in nuclease-free water.

Spin down the sample and pellet on a magnet. Keep the tube on the magnet, and pipette off the supernatant when clear and colourless.

Keep the tube on the magnet and wash the beads with 200 µl of freshly prepared 70% ethanol without disturbing the pellet. Remove the ethanol using a pipette and discard.

Repeat the previous step.

Spin down and place the tube back on the magnet. Pipette off any residual ethanol. Allow to dry for ~30 seconds, but do not dry the pellet to the point of cracking.

Remove the tube from the magnetic rack and resuspend the pellet in 26 µl nuclease-free water. Incubate for 2 minutes at room temperature.

Pellet the beads on a magnet until the eluate is clear and colourless.

Remove and retain 26 µl of eluate containing the DNA library into a clean 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube.

Dispose of the pelleted beads

CHECKPOINT

Quantify 1 µl of eluted sample using a Qubit fluorometer.

IMPORTANT

Please first refer to the ligation step below to ensure that the library is diluted to the correct volume.

Pool equimolar amounts of each barcoded sample into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube, ensuring that sufficient sample is combined to produce a pooled sample of 700 ng total (1050 ng if sequencing on R10.3 flow cells).

Quantify 1 µl of pooled and barcoded DNA using a Qubit fluorometer.

Dilute 700 ng (1050 ng for R10.3 flow cells) pooled sample to 65 µl in nuclease-free water.

OPTIONAL ACTION

If 700 ng (1050 ng for R10.3 flow cells) of pooled sample exceeds 65 µl in volume, perform an AMPure clean-up with 2.5x Agencourt AMPure XP beads to pooled sample volume, eluting in 65 µl of nuclease-free water.

Fragment size and adapter ligation

The amount of adapter has been optimised for fragment sizes greater or equal to 8 kb. If the fragments are generally smaller than 3 kb, adjustments should be made to use 0.1–0.2 pmoles of DNA in the adapter ligation step.

END OF STEP

Take forward the pooled samples into the next step. However, at this point it is also possible to store the sample at 4°C overnight.

6. Adapter ligation and clean-up

Materials
  • Long Fragment Buffer (LFB)
  • Short Fragment Buffer (SFB)
  • Elution Buffer (EB)
  • Adapter Mix II (AMII)
Consumables
  • NEBNext® Quick Ligation Module (NEB, E6056)
  • NEBNext® Quick Ligation Reaction Buffer (NEB, B6058)
  • Agencourt AMPure XP beads (Beckman Coulter™, A63881)
  • 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes
Equipment
  • Microfuge
  • Magnetic rack
  • Vortex mixer
  • Hula mixer (gentle rotator mixer)
Optional equipment
  • Qubit fluorometer (or equivalent for QC check)

Adapter Mix II Expansion use

Protocols that use the Native Barcoding Expansions require 5 μl of AMII per reaction. Native Barcoding Expansions EXP-NBD104/NBD114 and EXP-NBD196 contain sufficient AMII for 6 and 12 reactions, respectively (or 12 and 24 reactions when sequencing on Flongle). This assumes that all barcodes are used in one sequencing run.

The Adapter Mix II expansion provides additional AMII for customers who are running subsets of barcodes, and allows a further 12 reactions (24 on Flongle).

Thaw the Elution Buffer (EB) and NEBNext Quick Ligation Reaction Buffer (5x) at room temperature, mix by vortexing, spin down and place on ice. Check the contents of each tube are clear of any precipitate.

Spin down the T4 Ligase and the Adapter Mix II (AMII), and place on ice.

IMPORTANT

Depending on the wash buffer (LFB or SFB) used, the clean-up step after adapter ligation is designed to either enrich for DNA fragments of >3 kb, or purify all fragments equally.

  • To enrich for DNA fragments of 3 kb or longer, use Long Fragment Buffer (LFB)
  • To retain DNA fragments of all sizes, use Short Fragment Buffer (SFB)

To enrich for DNA fragments of 3 kb or longer, thaw one tube of Long Fragment Buffer (LFB) at room temperature, mix by vortexing, spin down and place on ice.

To retain DNA fragments of all sizes, thaw one tube of Short Fragment Buffer (SFB) at room temperature, mix by vortexing, spin down and place on ice.

Taking the pooled and barcoded DNA, perform adapter ligation as follows, mixing by flicking the tube between each sequential addition.

Reagent Volume
700 ng (1050 ng if using R10.3 flow cells) pooled barcoded sample 65 µl
Adapter Mix II (AMII) 5 µl
NEBNext Quick Ligation Reaction Buffer (5X) 20 µl
Quick T4 DNA Ligase 10 µl
Total 100 µl

Ensure the components are thoroughly mixed by pipetting, and spin down.

Incubate the reaction for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Resuspend the AMPure XP beads by vortexing.

Add 50 µl of resuspended AMPure XP beads to the reaction and mix by pipetting.

Incubate on a Hula mixer (rotator mixer) for 5 minutes at room temperature.

Place on a magnetic rack, allow beads to pellet and pipette off supernatant.

Wash the beads by adding either 250 μl Long Fragment Buffer (LFB) or 250 μl Short Fragment Buffer (SFB). Flick the beads to resuspend, spin down, then return the tube to the magnetic rack and allow the beads to pellet. Remove the supernatant using a pipette and discard.

Repeat the previous step.

Spin down and place the tube back on the magnet. Pipette off any residual supernatant. Allow to dry for ~30 seconds, but do not dry the pellet to the point of cracking.

Remove the tube from the magnetic rack and resuspend the pellet in 15 µl Elution Buffer (EB). Spin down and incubate for 10 minutes at room temperature. For high molecular weight DNA, incubating at 37°C can improve the recovery of long fragments.

Pellet the beads on a magnet until the eluate is clear and colourless, for at least 1 minute.

Remove and retain 15 µl of eluate containing the DNA library into a clean 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tube.

Dispose of the pelleted beads

Quantify 1 µl of adapter ligated and barcoded DNA using a Qubit fluorometer - recovery aim ~430 ng.

IMPORTANT

We recommend loading 5-50 fmol of final prepared library onto a flow cell.

Loading more than the recommended input can have a detrimental effect on output. Dilute the library in Elution Buffer (EB) if required. If you are using the Flongle for sample prep development, we recommend loading 3-20 fmol instead.

END OF STEP

The prepared library is used for loading onto the flow cell. Store the library on ice or at 4°C until ready to load.

TIP

Library storage recommendations

We recommend storing libraries in Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes at 4°C for short term storage or repeated use, for example, reloading flow cells between washes. For single use and long-term storage of more than 3 months, we recommend storing libraries at -80°C in Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes. For further information, please refer to the DNA library stability Know-How document.

OPTIONAL ACTION

If quantities allow, the library may be diluted in Elution Buffer (EB) for splitting across multiple flow cells.

Additional buffer for doing this can be found in the Sequencing Auxiliary Vials expansion (EXP-AUX001), available to purchase separately. This expansion also contains additional vials of Sequencing Buffer (SQB) and Loading Beads (LB), required for loading the libraries onto flow cells.

7. Priming and loading the SpotON flow cell

Materials
  • Flow Cell Priming Kit (EXP-FLP002)
  • Loading Beads (LB)
  • Sequencing Buffer (SQB)
Consumables
  • 1.5 ml Eppendorf DNA LoBind tubes
  • Nuclease-free water (e.g. ThermoFisher, AM9937)
Equipment
  • MinION Mk1B or Mk1C
  • SpotON Flow Cell
  • P1000 pipette and tips
  • P100 pipette and tips
  • P20 pipette and tips
  • P10 pipette and tips
TIP

Priming and loading a flow cell

We recommend all new users watch the 'Priming and loading your flow cell' video before your first run.

Thaw the Sequencing Buffer (SQB), Loading Beads (LB), Flush Tether (FLT) and one tube of Flush Buffer (FB) at room temperature before mixing the reagents by vortexing, and spin down at room temperature.

To prepare the flow cell priming mix, add 30 µl of thawed and mixed Flush Tether (FLT) directly to the tube of thawed and mixed Flush Buffer (FB), and mix by vortexing at room temperature.

Open the MinION device lid and slide the flow cell under the clip.

Press down firmly on the flow cell to ensure correct thermal and electrical contact.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 1a

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 1b

OPTIONAL ACTION

Complete a flow cell check to assess the number of pores available before loading the library.

This step can be omitted if the flow cell has been checked previously.

See the flow cell check instructions in the MinKNOW protocol for more information.

Slide the flow cell priming port cover clockwise to open the priming port.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 2

IMPORTANT

Take care when drawing back buffer from the flow cell. Do not remove more than 20-30 µl, and make sure that the array of pores are covered by buffer at all times. Introducing air bubbles into the array can irreversibly damage pores.

After opening the priming port, check for a small air bubble under the cover. Draw back a small volume to remove any bubbles:

  1. Set a P1000 pipette to 200 µl
  2. Insert the tip into the priming port
  3. Turn the wheel until the dial shows 220-230 µl, to draw back 20-30 µl, or until you can see a small volume of buffer entering the pipette tip

Note: Visually check that there is continuous buffer from the priming port across the sensor array.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 03 V5

Load 800 µl of the priming mix into the flow cell via the priming port, avoiding the introduction of air bubbles. Wait for five minutes. During this time, prepare the library for loading by following the steps below.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 04 V5

Thoroughly mix the contents of the Loading Beads (LB) by pipetting.

IMPORTANT

The Loading Beads (LB) tube contains a suspension of beads. These beads settle very quickly. It is vital that they are mixed immediately before use.

In a new tube, prepare the library for loading as follows:

Reagent Volume per flow cell
Sequencing Buffer (SQB) 37.5 µl
Loading Beads (LB), mixed immediately before use 25.5 µl
DNA library 12 µl
Total 75 µl

Note: Load the library onto the flow cell immediately after adding the Sequencing Buffer (SQB) and Loading Beads (LB) because the fuel in the buffer will start to be consumed by the adapter.

Complete the flow cell priming:

  1. Gently lift the SpotON sample port cover to make the SpotON sample port accessible.
  2. Load 200 µl of the priming mix into the flow cell priming port (not the SpotON sample port), avoiding the introduction of air bubbles.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 5

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 06 V5

Mix the prepared library gently by pipetting up and down just prior to loading.

Add 75 μl of the prepared library to the flow cell via the SpotON sample port in a dropwise fashion. Ensure each drop flows into the port before adding the next.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 07 V5

Gently replace the SpotON sample port cover, making sure the bung enters the SpotON port, close the priming port and replace the MinION device lid.

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 8

Flow Cell Loading Diagrams Step 9

8. Data acquisition and basecalling

How to start sequencing

Once you have loaded your flow cell, the sequencing run can be started on MinKNOW, our sequencing software that controls the device, data acquisition and real-time basecalling. For more detailed information on setting up and using MinKNOW, please see the MinKNOW protocol.

MinKNOW can be used and set up to sequence in multiple ways:

  • On a computer either directly or remotely connected to a sequencing device.
  • Directly on a GridION, MinION Mk1C or PromethION 24/48 sequencing device.

For more information on using MinKNOW on a sequencing device, please see the device user manuals:

To start a sequencing run on MinKNOW:

1. Navigate to the start page and click Start sequencing.

2. Fill in your experiment details, such as name and flow cell position and sample ID.

3. Select the sequencing kit used in the library preparation on the Kit page.

4. Configure the sequencing and output parameters for your sequencing run or keep to the default settings on the Run configuration tab.

Note: If basecalling was turned off when a sequencing run was set up, basecalling can be performed post-run on MinKNOW. For more information, please see the MinKNOW protocol.

5. Click Start to initiate the sequencing run.

Data analysis after sequencing

After sequencing has completed on MinKNOW, the flow cell can be reused or returned, as outlined in the Flow cell reuse and returns section.

After sequencing and basecalling, the data can be analysed. For further information about options for basecalling and post-basecalling analysis, please refer to the Data Analysis document.

In the Downstream analysis section, we outline further options for analysing your data.

9. Flow cell reuse and returns

Materials
  • Flow Cell Wash Kit (EXP-WSH004)

After your sequencing experiment is complete, if you would like to reuse the flow cell, please follow the Flow Cell Wash Kit protocol and store the washed flow cell at 2-8°C.

The Flow Cell Wash Kit protocol is available on the Nanopore Community.

TIP

We recommend you to wash the flow cell as soon as possible after you stop the run. However, if this is not possible, leave the flow cell on the device and wash it the next day.

Alternatively, follow the returns procedure to flush out the flow cell ready to send back to Oxford Nanopore.

Instructions for returning flow cells can be found here.

Note: All flow cells must be flushed with deionised water before returning the product.

IMPORTANT

If you encounter issues or have questions about your sequencing experiment, please refer to the Troubleshooting Guide that can be found in the online version of this protocol.

10. Downstream analysis

Post-basecalling analysis

There are several options for further analysing your basecalled data:

1. EPI2ME workflows

For in-depth data analysis, Oxford Nanopore Technologies offers a range of bioinformatics tutorials and workflows available in EPI2ME. The platform provides a vehicle where workflows deposited in GitHub by our Research and Applications teams can be showcased with descriptive texts, functional bioinformatics code and example data.

2. Research analysis tools

Oxford Nanopore Technologies' Research division has created a number of analysis tools, which are available in the Oxford Nanopore GitHub repository. The tools are aimed at advanced users, and contain instructions for how to install and run the software. They are provided as-is, with minimal support.

3. Community-developed analysis tools

If a data analysis method for your research question is not provided in any of the resources above, please refer to the resource centre and search for bioinformatics tools for your application. Numerous members of the Nanopore Community have developed their own tools and pipelines for analysing nanopore sequencing data, most of which are available on GitHub. Please be aware that these tools are not supported by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and are not guaranteed to be compatible with the latest chemistry/software configuration.

11. Issues during DNA/RNA extraction and library preparation

Below is a list of the most commonly encountered issues, with some suggested causes and solutions.

We also have an FAQ section available on the Nanopore Community Support section.

If you have tried our suggested solutions and the issue still persists, please contact Technical Support via email (support@nanoporetech.com) or via LiveChat in the Nanopore Community.

Low sample quality

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Low DNA purity (Nanodrop reading for DNA OD 260/280 is <1.8 and OD 260/230 is <2.0–2.2) The DNA extraction method does not provide the required purity The effects of contaminants are shown in the Contaminants document. Please try an alternative extraction method that does not result in contaminant carryover.

Consider performing an additional SPRI clean-up step.
Low RNA integrity (RNA integrity number <9.5 RIN, or the rRNA band is shown as a smear on the gel) The RNA degraded during extraction Try a different RNA extraction method. For more info on RIN, please see the RNA Integrity Number document. Further information can be found in the DNA/RNA Handling page.
RNA has a shorter than expected fragment length The RNA degraded during extraction Try a different RNA extraction method. For more info on RIN, please see the RNA Integrity Number document. Further information can be found in the DNA/RNA Handling page.

We recommend working in an RNase-free environment, and to keep your lab equipment RNase-free when working with RNA.

Low DNA recovery after AMPure bead clean-up

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Low recovery DNA loss due to a lower than intended AMPure beads-to-sample ratio 1. AMPure beads settle quickly, so ensure they are well resuspended before adding them to the sample.

2. When the AMPure beads-to-sample ratio is lower than 0.4:1, DNA fragments of any size will be lost during the clean-up.
Low recovery DNA fragments are shorter than expected The lower the AMPure beads-to-sample ratio, the more stringent the selection against short fragments. Please always determine the input DNA length on an agarose gel (or other gel electrophoresis methods) and then calculate the appropriate amount of AMPure beads to use. SPRI cleanup
Low recovery after end-prep The wash step used ethanol <70% DNA will be eluted from the beads when using ethanol <70%. Make sure to use the correct percentage.

12. Issues during the sequencing run

Below is a list of the most commonly encountered issues, with some suggested causes and solutions.

We also have an FAQ section available on the Nanopore Community Support section.

If you have tried our suggested solutions and the issue still persists, please contact Technical Support via email (support@nanoporetech.com) or via LiveChat in the Nanopore Community.

Fewer pores at the start of sequencing than after Flow Cell Check

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
MinKNOW reported a lower number of pores at the start of sequencing than the number reported by the Flow Cell Check An air bubble was introduced into the nanopore array After the Flow Cell Check it is essential to remove any air bubbles near the priming port before priming the flow cell. If not removed, the air bubble can travel to the nanopore array and irreversibly damage the nanopores that have been exposed to air. The best practice to prevent this from happening is demonstrated in this video.
MinKNOW reported a lower number of pores at the start of sequencing than the number reported by the Flow Cell Check The flow cell is not correctly inserted into the device Stop the sequencing run, remove the flow cell from the sequencing device and insert it again, checking that the flow cell is firmly seated in the device and that it has reached the target temperature. If applicable, try a different position on the device (GridION/PromethION).
MinKNOW reported a lower number of pores at the start of sequencing than the number reported by the Flow Cell Check Contaminations in the library damaged or blocked the pores The pore count during the Flow Cell Check is performed using the QC DNA molecules present in the flow cell storage buffer. At the start of sequencing, the library itself is used to estimate the number of active pores. Because of this, variability of about 10% in the number of pores is expected. A significantly lower pore count reported at the start of sequencing can be due to contaminants in the library that have damaged the membranes or blocked the pores. Alternative DNA/RNA extraction or purification methods may be needed to improve the purity of the input material. The effects of contaminants are shown in the Contaminants Know-how piece. Please try an alternative extraction method that does not result in contaminant carryover.

MinKNOW script failed

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
MinKNOW shows "Script failed"
Restart the computer and then restart MinKNOW. If the issue persists, please collect the MinKNOW log files and contact Technical Support. If you do not have another sequencing device available, we recommend storing the flow cell and the loaded library at 4°C and contact Technical Support for further storage guidance.

Pore occupancy below 40%

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Pore occupancy <40% Not enough library was loaded on the flow cell Ensure you load the recommended amount of good quality library in the relevant library prep protocol onto your flow cell. Please quantify the library before loading and calculate mols using tools like the Promega Biomath Calculator, choosing "dsDNA: µg to pmol"
Pore occupancy close to 0 The Ligation Sequencing Kit was used, and sequencing adapters did not ligate to the DNA Make sure to use the NEBNext Quick Ligation Module (E6056) and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ligation Buffer (LNB, provided in the sequencing kit) at the sequencing adapter ligation step, and use the correct amount of each reagent. A Lambda control library can be prepared to test the integrity of the third-party reagents.
Pore occupancy close to 0 The Ligation Sequencing Kit was used, and ethanol was used instead of LFB or SFB at the wash step after sequencing adapter ligation Ethanol can denature the motor protein on the sequencing adapters. Make sure the LFB or SFB buffer was used after ligation of sequencing adapters.
Pore occupancy close to 0 No tether on the flow cell Tethers are adding during flow cell priming (FLT/FCT tube). Make sure FLT/FCT was added to FB/FCF before priming.

Shorter than expected read length

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Shorter than expected read length Unwanted fragmentation of DNA sample Read length reflects input DNA fragment length. Input DNA can be fragmented during extraction and library prep.

1. Please review the Extraction Methods in the Nanopore Community for best practice for extraction.

2. Visualise the input DNA fragment length distribution on an agarose gel before proceeding to the library prep. DNA gel2 In the image above, Sample 1 is of high molecular weight, whereas Sample 2 has been fragmented.

3. During library prep, avoid pipetting and vortexing when mixing reagents. Flicking or inverting the tube is sufficient.

Large proportion of unavailable pores

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Large proportion of unavailable pores (shown as blue in the channels panel and pore activity plot)

image2022-3-25 10-43-25 The pore activity plot above shows an increasing proportion of "unavailable" pores over time.		 Contaminants are present in the sample Some contaminants can be cleared from the pores by the unblocking function built into MinKNOW. If this is successful, the pore status will change to "sequencing pore". If the portion of unavailable pores stays large or increases:

1. A nuclease flush using the Flow Cell Wash Kit (EXP-WSH004) can be performed, or
2. Run several cycles of PCR to try and dilute any contaminants that may be causing problems.

Large proportion of inactive pores

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Large proportion of inactive/unavailable pores (shown as light blue in the channels panel and pore activity plot. Pores or membranes are irreversibly damaged) Air bubbles have been introduced into the flow cell Air bubbles introduced through flow cell priming and library loading can irreversibly damage the pores. Watch the Priming and loading your flow cell video for best practice
Large proportion of inactive/unavailable pores Certain compounds co-purified with DNA Known compounds, include polysaccharides, typically associate with plant genomic DNA.

1. Please refer to the Plant leaf DNA extraction method.
2. Clean-up using the QIAGEN PowerClean Pro kit.
3. Perform a whole genome amplification with the original gDNA sample using the QIAGEN REPLI-g kit.
Large proportion of inactive/unavailable pores Contaminants are present in the sample The effects of contaminants are shown in the Contaminants Know-how piece. Please try an alternative extraction method that does not result in contaminant carryover.

Reduction in sequencing speed and q-score later into the run

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Reduction in sequencing speed and q-score later into the run For Kit 9 chemistry (e.g. SQK-LSK109), fast fuel consumption is typically seen when the flow cell is overloaded with library (please see the appropriate protocol for your DNA library to see the recommendation). Add more fuel to the flow cell by following the instructions in the MinKNOW protocol. In future experiments, load lower amounts of library to the flow cell.

Temperature fluctuation

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Temperature fluctuation The flow cell has lost contact with the device Check that there is a heat pad covering the metal plate on the back of the flow cell. Re-insert the flow cell and press it down to make sure the connector pins are firmly in contact with the device. If the problem persists, please contact Technical Services.

Failed to reach target temperature

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
MinKNOW shows "Failed to reach target temperature" The instrument was placed in a location that is colder than normal room temperature, or a location with poor ventilation (which leads to the flow cells overheating) MinKNOW has a default timeframe for the flow cell to reach the target temperature. Once the timeframe is exceeded, an error message will appear and the sequencing experiment will continue. However, sequencing at an incorrect temperature may lead to a decrease in throughput and lower q-scores. Please adjust the location of the sequencing device to ensure that it is placed at room temperature with good ventilation, then re-start the process in MinKNOW. Please refer to this FAQ for more information on MinION temperature control.

Guppy – no input .fast5 was found or basecalled

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
No input .fast5 was found or basecalled input_path did not point to the .fast5 file location The --input_path has to be followed by the full file path to the .fast5 files to be basecalled, and the location has to be accessible either locally or remotely through SSH.
No input .fast5 was found or basecalled The .fast5 files were in a subfolder at the input_path location To allow Guppy to look into subfolders, add the --recursive flag to the command

Guppy – no Pass or Fail folders were generated after basecalling

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
No Pass or Fail folders were generated after basecalling The --qscore_filtering flag was not included in the command The --qscore_filtering flag enables filtering of reads into Pass and Fail folders inside the output folder, based on their strand q-score. When performing live basecalling in MinKNOW, a q-score of 7 (corresponding to a basecall accuracy of ~80%) is used to separate reads into Pass and Fail folders.

Guppy – unusually slow processing on a GPU computer

Observation Possible cause Comments and actions
Unusually slow processing on a GPU computer The --device flag wasn't included in the command The --device flag specifies a GPU device to use for accelerate basecalling. If not included in the command, GPU will not be used. GPUs are counted from zero. An example is --device cuda:0 cuda:1, when 2 GPUs are specified to use by the Guppy command.

Last updated: 3/10/2023

Document options

MinION