NEBNext^® ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 FS Library Prep Kit (Illumina^®)

The NEBNext^® ARTIC kits were developed in response to the critical need for reliable and accurate methods for SARS-CoV-2 sequencing. These kits, for long and short read sequencing, were based on the original work of the ARTIC Network (1). The ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 sequencing workflow is a multiplexed amplicon-based whole-viral-genome sequencing approach. 

NEBNext ARTIC kits include primers and reagents for RT-PCR from SARS-CoV-2 gRNA and downstream library preparation for Illumina^® and Oxford Nanopore Technologies^® sequencing.

This kit includes two options for primers, including new VarSkip Short v2, for improved Omicron coverage:

1. The new VarSkip (for Variant Skip) Short v2 primers have been designed at NEB to reduce the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on amplification and provide improved performance, including with the Omicron variant. The primer pools are balanced for coverage uniformity. Information on primer variant overlaps can be found here.
2. The V3 ARTIC primers have been balanced, using methodology developed at NEB based on empirical data from sequencing. In combination with optimized reagents for RT-PCR, the kits deliver improved uniformity of amplicon yields from gRNA across a wide copy number range. 

An Express protocol option with fewer cleanups is available.

The NEBNext ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 FS Library Prep Kit (Illumina) incorporates enzymatic cDNA fragmentation and produces Illumina-compatible libraries with library inserts in the 150 bp range, compatible with 2 x 75 sequencing on Illumina instruments.

• Includes two primer options: new VarSkip Short v2, for improved Omicron coverage, and ARTIC V3
• Information on primer variant overlaps can be found here.
• Improved uniformity of SARS-CoV-2 genome coverage with balanced primer pools
• Express protocol option available, with reduced cleanup steps
• Streamlined, high-efficiency protocol
• Effective with a wide range of viral genome inputs (10-10,000 copies)
• No requirement for amplicon normalization prior to library preparation
• Library inserts in the 150 bp range
• Compatible with 2 x 75 Illumina sequencing
• Optional use control human primers provided
• Includes NEBNext Sample Purification Beads (SPRIselect^®)
• Adaptors and primers available separately; For a 384 unique dual index format, please contact us
• For a bulk format of the kit (2,304 reactions) please contact us

If larger inserts are preferred, the NEBNext ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 Library Prep Kit (Illumina) (NEB #E7650) generates libraries with ~400 bp inserts, compatible with 2 x 250 bp sequencing.

1. Josh Quick 2020. nCoV-2019 sequencing protocol v2 (GunIt). protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bdp7i5rn.