NEBNext^® ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Module

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

NEBNext ARTIC SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Module contains the reagents required for cDNA synthesis and targeted cDNA amplification from SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA.

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

1. The new VarSkip (for Variant Skip) Short v2 primers have been designed at NEB to provide improved performance with SARS-CoV-2 variants, including 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. 

Full kits that also include library prep reagents optimized for the ARTIC workflow are available, for smaller (~150 bp) (NEB #E7658) or larger (~400 bp) (NEB #E7650) insert libraries for Illumina® sequencing, and for Oxford Nanopore Technologies^® sequencing (NEB #E7660). Note that E7650 does not include VarSkip v2 primers.

• Includes two primer options: new VarSkip Short v2, for improved Omicron coverage, or ARTIC V3
• Information on primer variant overlaps can be found here
• Improved uniformity of SARS-CoV-2 genome coverage, with balanced primer pools
• Effective with a wide range of viral genome inputs (10-10,000 copies)
• Streamlined, high-efficiency protocol

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