Studies Published in Science and Cell Demonstrate a Transformation in Genetic Analysis
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 8, 2007--Illumina, Inc.,(NASDAQ:ILMN) today announced that researchers from the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology and Stanford University School of Medicine,and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NationalInstitutes of Health are the first in the industry to use the SolexaSequencing technology with the Genome Analyzer to generate significantchromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, or ChIP-Seq results withinmonths of system installation, and have study findings accepted forpublication by high-profile peer-reviewed journals. These studiesappear in the June 8, 2007 edition of Science and the May 18, 2007issue of Cell, respectively.
In both studies, investigators used Illumina's Solexa Sequencingtechnology to quickly and easily identify how proteins interact withdeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) across the entire human genome. Findingsdemonstrate that this next-generation technology offers the scientificcommunity the ability to scan millions of binding sites within onechannel of a flow cell for 10 to 30 times lower cost than ChIP-chipapproaches. Using the ChIP-Seq method, researchers also obtainunprecedented resolution, specificity, and signal-to-noise as comparedto microarray-based alternatives.
"Our ChIP-Seq study took advantage of the Genome Analyzer'sability to generate tens of millions of sequence reads per run," saidRichard M. Myers, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Genetics at StanfordUniversity School of Medicine and key author on the Sciencepublication. "This allowed us to turn ChIP into a simple countingassay, in which one sequence read per molecule of DNA was mapped fromthe sample back onto the reference genome across millions of moleculesper sample. By analyzing the distribution of these positive "hits"across the entire genome we mapped and learned new things aboutthousands of sites that selectively bind to our factor of interest.The amount and nature of these data meant we got exceptionalpositional resolution and statistical confidence."
"We are excited about applying other similar "sequence census"methods to measure and map RNA expression, DNA modification assays,and the like," said Barbara Wold, Ph.D., Professor of MolecularBiology and Director of the Beckman Institute at Caltech and keyauthor on the Science paper. "It seems inevitable that sequence readswill soon be the common digital currency for genome-scale DNA and RNAmeasurements."
According to the paper published in Cell on May 18, 2007,researchers at the NHLBI "demonstrated that direct sequencing of ChIPDNA using the Illumina Genome Analyzer is an efficient method formapping genome-wide distributions of histone modifications andchromatin protein targets." Investigators used the Solexa sequencingtechnology to generate genome-wide data for more than 20 epigeneticmarks in human T cells.
"As indicated by the Science and Cell studies, scientists are nowable to explore entire genomes, regardless of organism type, andunearth rich, new information -- easily, rapidly, and affordably,"said John West, Illumina's Senior Vice President and General Manager,DNA Sequencing. "The ChIP-SEQ approach is transforming the wayscientists are looking at the DNA-protein interactions that alter genefunction and regulation, critical to the understanding of many complexdiseases."
Parties interested in hearing more about study findings publishedin Science are invited to join an Illumina-sponsored webinar, hostedby principal investigators Richard M. Myers, Ph.D., and David Johnson,Ph.D., both from Stanford University Medical Center, and AliMortazavi, Ph.D., from The California Institute of Technology onThursday, June 21, 2007 at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. To register for theevent, please visit www.Illumina.com/webinars.
About Illumina's Solexa Sequencing Technology and the GenomeAnalyzer
Illumina's Solexa Sequencing technology offers a powerful newapproach to some of today's most important applications for geneticanalysis and functional genomics. Generating one billion bases of highquality DNA sequence per run at less than one percent of the cost ofcapillary-based methods, the Illumina Genome Analyzer utilizing theSolexa Sequencing technology is designed to enable researchers todramatically improve the efficiency and speed of current applications.
ChIP-Seq is a sequencing-based alternative to ChIP-chip assays.For ChIP-chip studies, DNA fragments that interact with a protein ofinterest are identified by hybridization of DNA to the array. Whenconducting ChIP-Seq, the Solexa Sequencing technology sequences at theend of each segment, allowing researchers to find novel binding citesacross the whole genome. For more information, please visit www.illumina.com.
About Illumina
Illumina is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer ofnext-generation life science tools and integrated systems for theanalysis of genetic variation and biological function. Using ourproprietary technologies, we provide a comprehensive line of productsand services that currently serve the sequencing, genotyping, and geneexpression markets, and we expect to enter the market for moleculardiagnostics. Our customers include leading genomic research centers,pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, clinical researchorganizations and biotechnology companies. Our tools provideresearchers around the world with the performance, throughput, costeffectiveness and flexibility necessary to perform the billions ofgenetic tests needed to extract valuable medical information fromadvances in genomics and proteomics. We believe this information willenable researchers to correlate genetic variation and biologicalfunction, which will enhance drug discovery and clinical research,allow diseases to be detected earlier and permit better choices ofdrugs for individual patients.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995:
This release may contain forward-looking statements that involverisks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could causeactual results to differ materially from those in any forward-lookingstatements are the costs and outcome of Illumina's litigation withAffymetrix and our ability (i) to integrate effectively our recentacquisition of Solexa, Inc., (ii) to develop and commercialize furtherour BeadArray(TM), VeraCode(TM) and Solexa(R) technologies and todeploy new gene expression and genotyping products and applicationsfor our technology platforms, (iii) to manufacture robust microarraysand Oligator(R) oligonucleotides, (iv) to integrate and scale ourVeraCode technology, (v) to scale further oligo synthesis output andtechnology to satisfy market demand derived from our collaborationwith Invitrogen, together with other factors detailed in our filingswith the Securities and Exchange Commission including our recentfilings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q or in information disclosed in publicconference calls, the date and time of which are released beforehand.We disclaim any intent or obligation to update these forward-lookingstatements beyond the date of this report.
CONTACT: Illumina, Inc.
Maurissa Bornstein, 858-332-4055
Public Relations Manager
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SOURCE: Illumina, Inc.