A Two-color Single-molecule Sequencing Platform and Its Clinical Applications

DNA sequencers have become increasingly important research and diagnostic tools over the past 20 years. We have developed a single-molecule desktop sequencer, GenoCare 1600 (GenoCare), which utilizes amplification-free library preparation and two-color sequencing-by-synthesis chemistry, making it more user-friendly compared to previous single-molecule sequencing platforms for clinical use. Here, we report sequencing data of an Escherichia coli standard sample by GenoCare, with a consensus accuracy reaching 99.99%. We also evaluated the sequencing performance of this platform in microbial mixtures and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) samples from throat swabs. Our findings indicate that the GenoCare platform allows for microbial quantitation, sensitive identification of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, and accurate detection of virus mutations, as confirmed by Sanger sequencing, demonstrating remarkable potential in clinical application.