The importance of rRNA removal in RNA-seq optimization

QIAseq FastSelect: Increase your unique reads, discover more biology

Did you know that a critical step for RNA-seq optimization is efficient removal of rRNA? The amount of rRNA removed is directly proportional to the number of unique gene reads obtained from your library. Efficient, near complete rRNA removal prior to sample cDNA synthesis ensures you aren't making unwanted ribosomal cDNA. Introduce our game-changing QIAseq FastSelect technology into your workflow and experience highly efficient rRNA removal in as little as 14 minutes. In fact, samples treated with QIAseq FastSelect don't require pre-sequencing PCR amplification – simply use your library as is, save even more time and obtain a higher number of unique gene reads. FastSelect your sample before library prep and discover more biology.

QIAseq FastSelect and SARS-CoV-2

Unravel host-microbiome interactions to advance coronavirus metatranscriptomics research

Working with mixed human and microbiome samples from nasopharyngeal, lung and other tissues for coronavirus metatranscripomics studies? To maximize unique mRNA/gene expression reads, use QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA HMR Kits and QIAseq FastSelect –5S/16S/23S Kits separately or in combination for fast, effective and targeted removal of both host and bacterial rRNA – while still retaining viral RNAs.

Recent SARS-CoV-2 publications using QIAseq FastSelect:

Product range

Explore the entire QIAseq FastSelect product range

New! QIAseq FastSelect Custom RNA Removal Kit

Design your own QIAseq FastSelect pools to remove any RNAs you wish from your RNA-seq library. Simply paste the RNA sequences you want removed into the QIAseq FastSelect Custom Builder to generate a unique catalog number for your custom FastSelect pool.

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QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA HMR and QIAseq FastSelect –Globin Kits
Performing RNA-seq with mammalian tissue, organ or liquid biopsy samples? Our QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA HMR and QIAseq FastSelect –Globin Kits are single kit solutions that allow you to remove >95% of rRNA and globin mRNA from human, mouse, rat and other mammalian samples. With a 30% faster protocol than our previous kit versions, QIAseq FastSelect enables RNA removal using just a single 10-second pipetting step, with only 14 minutes of incubation. Combine with the QIAseq Stranded Total RNA Lib Kit for high-quality, stranded library prep with maximum transcript coverage, enabling detection of even low-expression RNA molecules.
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QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA Plant Kits
If you’re working with agricultural and environmental RNA-seq samples, removal of unwanted plant rRNA can increase the sensitivity of your RNA-seq, allowing you to maximize usable reads and cost-effectively generate transcriptome-wide data. New QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA Plant Kits enable removal of cytoplasmic (5.8S, 18S and 25S), mitochondrial (5S, 18S and 26S) and chloroplast (4.5S, 5S, 16S and 23S) rRNA from your plant RNA samples in just 14 minutes. Combine with the QIAseq Stranded Total RNA Lib Kit for robust, strand-specific RNA-seq library prep with maximum coverage.
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QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA Yeast Kits
Maximize the usable RNA-seq reads you generate in applications such as fermentation studies and gene expression analysis by effectively removing unwanted yeast rRNA. New QIAseq FastSelect –rRNA Yeast Kits enable efficient removal of yeast cytoplasmic (35S [made up of 25S, 18S and 5.8S], 25S, 18S, 5.8S and 5S) and mitochondrial (21S, 15S, ACI60_gr01 [large subunit ribosomal RNA] and ACI60_gr02 [small subunit ribosomal RNA]) rRNA in just 14 minutes. For subsequent stranded library prep, combine with the QIAseq Stranded Total RNA Lib Kit for sensitive detection of low-expression RNA molecules.
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QIAseq FastSelect –5S/16S/23S Kits
Highly abundant bacterial 5S,16S and 23S rRNA wastes precious sequencing resources and reduces the number of unique reads you obtain from your RNA-seq library. New QIAseq FastSelect –5S/16S/23S Kits are a revolutionary solution for pan-bacterial 5S,16S and 23S rRNA removal from fragmented or full-length RNA for metatranscriptomics studies. No need for capture or enzymatic digestion. Simply use our 14-minute protocol, followed by bead cleanup for removal of unwanted rRNA from complex bacterial samples. Then move on to stranded, high-quality library prep using the QIAseq Stranded Total RNA Lib Kit for sensitive detection of low-expression RNA molecules with increased complexity and transcript coverage.
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QIAseq FastSelect success stories

Inspiration from the lab bench

QIAseq FastSelect enables high-quality RNA-seq from mixed human and bacterial samples

Dr. Marie Adams, Genomics Core Director at Van Andel Institute, discusses how QIAseq FastSelect technology helped conquer the challenges of generating high-quality RNA-seq data for human and bacterial co-expression studies from the same RNA sample.

University of Huston's Department of Biology and Biochemistry

QIAseq FastSelect helps pave the way towards more successful cancer treatment

“QIAseq FastSelect has been phenomenal with the RNA sequencing in my project. The RNA was degraded and almost unusable, but QIAseq FastSelect really removes the ribosomal RNA in these degraded samples and has improved our sequencing libraries”.

Brandon Mistrella, University of Huston's Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Cancer researchers at the University of Houston routinely encountered challenges associated with RNA degradation when working with FFPE samples. The presence of unwanted RNA species such as ribosomal RNA and globin mRNA in the low-yield RNA sample further complicated RNA sequencing. Read how QIAseq FastSelect transformed their research, allowing them to retrieve useful RNA-seq data from FFPE RNA.

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Dr. Fabienne Desmots-Loyer, Hematology researcher, CHU – Hospital Pontchaillou, Rennes, France

QIAseq FastSelect enables construction of RNA-seq libraries from low-quality FFPE RNA

“The workflow is very simple and fast. I would say that with poor-quality samples and with the limited quantity of those samples, I wasn’t expecting the results we obtained.”

Dr. Fabienne Desmots-Loyer, Hematology researcher, CHU – Hospital Pontchaillou, Rennes, France

Due to high levels of degradation and poor yields, working with RNA from FFPE samples can be tough. Read the story of Dr. Fabienne Desmots-Loyer at the Hospital Rennes and find out how QIAseq FastSelect saved the day by providing high-quality libraries from FFPE cancer samples previously rejected for processing by two commercial labs due to high levels of RNA degradation and low yields.

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Webinars

Expand your knowledge with our informative webinars

Evolution of new technologies for mammalian, bacterial, plant and yeast samples
Speaker: Jonathan Shaffer, Ph.D., M.B.A., Director, R&D, NGS assays, QIAGEN

On-demand recorded webinar
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rRNA removal for RNA-seq applications involving viruses, host responses and metatranscriptomics
Speaker: Samuel Rulli, Ph.D., Associate Director, RNA-seq profiling, NGS assay technologies, QIAGEN

On-demand recorded webinar
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One small step in RNA-seq, one giant leap for your research

Dramatically faster and easier rRNA removal

While alternative rRNA removal methods take several hours, require multiple steps, work solely on unfragmented RNA or simply don’t remove enough rRNA, with the FastSelect method you benefit from a dramatically faster and more convenient workflow – and exceptional results even with FFPE and fragmented RNA samples.

Rely on QIAGEN Genomic Services for your research needs

Take advantage of QIAGEN Genomic Services to accelerate your research. From library prep and sequencing to data analysis and interpretation, our in-house experts use trusted QIAseq NGS technologies and QIAGEN Digital Insights software to deliver high-quality results you can rely on.

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All photos taken prior to COVID-19