Branchpoint Biosciences assays offer some important advantages over both 16S and metagenomic sequencing. Today, we’re going to highlight just a few applications where our qPCR-based profiling offers a better option for your microbiome research.
High Sensitivity for Low Biomass
The superior limits of sensitivity offered by targeted qPCR allow you to accurately quantify your microbes of interest at low abundance. Important in any sample, it’s especially powerful for samples with low bacterial biomass.
Host DNA often represents more than 75% of the DNA extracted from sites like the skin, mouth, or urogenital tract. Attempting to sequencing tissue-associated microbiomes can be even worse, with microbial signals below reliable detection. Using qPCR, we routinely quantify species below 10 copies per reaction, enabling us to accurately profile samples where sequencing struggles.
Why pay to throw out most of your metagenomic sequencing data and be further limited in sensitivity?
Scale Sampling Rather than Sequencing
Let’s face it, microbiomes are dynamic and sequencing data is noisy. The solution isn’t deeper sequencing, but broader sampling with greater precision.
The next wave of microbiome insights will come from larger, more representative cohorts offering greater statistical power. Longitudinal studies will capture community dynamics, offering more mechanistic insights.
We offer significant savings while providing precise profiles. And not just compared to sequencing “sticker price.” qPCR microbiome profiles skip all the “extra” costs associated with metagenomic sequencing, like analysis and long-term data storage. This allows you to budget for more samples rather than more sequencing.
Don’t blow your budget on sequencing; spend the money where it matters most: sampling!
Biomarker Discovery, Validation, and Implementation
qPCR is more sensitive, standardized, and widespread than sequencing. It offers a compelling platform to reliably detect, verify, and apply bacterial biomarkers.
Branchpoint panels capture the most abundant and prevalent organisms, representing an extensive pool of viable biomarker candidates. Not only do they allow you to discover and validate bacterial biomarkers, but the added dimension of quantity strengths AI-powered feature identification. Biomarkers in hand, we can help you quickly put them into action.
Our fixed qPCR-based assays are reproducible, subject to established regulatory frameworks, and operate on existing infrastructure to help streamline your path to clinical implementation.
Characterize your Consortium
Do you care about some microbes more than others? That’s okay, and we can help.
Sometimes researchers are focused on following a specific target or select group of organisms. Perhaps you might want to assess the formulation and stability of a Live Biotherapeutic Product (be it a single strain or a defined consortia) then monitor its kinetics to help define your therapeutic window or dial in your dosing regime.
Branchpoint offers custom assay design (down to strain-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms) and panels so you can efficiently follow your favorite microbes.
Supercharge your Science with Branchpoint
Branchpoint Biosciences assays and panels can help amplify your science. We offer sensitivity, scale, and streamlined workflows to address your microbiome needs.
