MERCURIUS™

BRB-seq Kits
for cost-effective bulk
RNA-seq

Massively multiplexed library prep kits for purified RNA - compatible with all eukaryotic cells.

Compatible with Illumina® and AVITI™ sequencers.

Discover Sample Datasets

Mammals, Plants, Insects, Fish

Bulk RNA sequencing at scale

BRB-seq as a flexible solution

One-day library prep workflow

For a variety of sample types

Product Overview

Built for teams requiring high-throughput but robust detection of coding transcript expression from purified RNA from diverse species and tissues. Ideal for studies with larger cohorts, more conditions, or more timepoints than possible to assess with standard bulk RNA-seq methods.


MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq enables 3’ mRNA-seq at screening scale on purified RNA inputs through early barcoding and multiplexing for up to 96 or 384 samples in a single tube. It provides robust, reliable whole transcriptome expression readouts without compromising depth, data quality, or sensitivity compared to sample-by-sample methods. It enables high-throughput bulk RNA-seq on Illumina® and AVITI™ platforms.

preps in a single tube
Up to 0
detected genes at
1.5M reads/sample
0 +
library prep workflow
Down to 3 day

Applications

  • Bulk 3′ RNA-seq for differential gene expression surveys and studies across hundreds of samples (tissues, primary cells, cell lines).

  • High-throughput transcriptome profiling for population studies, perturbation screens, and toxicogenomics.

  • Replacing conventional bulk RNA-seq with a more scalable, cost-effective workflow.

1. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq Detects Comparable Numbers of Genes and Differentially Expressed Genes as Illumina TruSeq

Comparison of gene detection (left) and differential expression (right) between the same samples prepared with MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq or Illumina TruSeq. (Left) Both protocols detect equivalent numbers of genes across all expression thresholds at the same sequencing depth. (Right) Differential expression analysis yields comparable numbers of differentially expressed genes for both technologies. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq achieves TruSeq-equivalent analytical performance at significantly higher throughput and lower cost per sample.

2. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq Delivers Consistent, High-Sensitivity Gene Detection Across 384 Samples

Number of genes detected per sample across a 384-sample BRB-seq run, stratified by expression level. Across all 384 samples, an average of ~13,000 genes is detected when sequenced at a depth of 1.5M reads/sample. The uniformity of gene detection across all samples demonstrates the reproducibility and scalability of MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq for high-throughput transcriptomic profiling.

3. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq Detects Comparable Numbers of Genes as Leading Commercial Platforms Across All Expression Levels

Average number of genes detected per expression category in non-differentiated (ND) and differentiated (D) adipose stromal population cells, comparing MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq against two commercial competitor kits. Genes are stratified into lowly expressed (0 < CPM < 10), mid-expressed (10 < CPM < 100), and highly expressed (CPM > 100) categories. All replicates were prepared from the same RNA sample and sequenced at a uniform depth of 3 million reads per sample. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq performs comparably to both competitors across all expression levels and cell states.

4. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq has High Correlation with Leading Commercial Platforms in Both Undifferentiated and Differentiated Cell States

Transcriptome-wide Pearson correlation matrices of mapped reads comparing MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq against Competitor L and Competitor N in non-differentiated adipose stromal Population cells (ND, left) and differentiated adipocytes (D, right). MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq achieves Pearson correlation coefficients of r ≥ 0.97 against both competitors in both cell states, comparable to the inter-competitor correlation (r = 0.95–0.96), demonstrating that MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq produces highly concordant gene expression profiles regardless of biological condition.

5. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq Identifies More Differentially Expressed Genes Than Competitor Platforms Across All Significance Thresholds

Number of up and downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) detected by MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq, Competitor L, and Competitor N as a function of FDR-adjusted p-value threshold, comparing non-differentiated adipose stromal population cells to differentiated adipocytes at 3M reads/sample on the same initial RNA. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq consistently identifies more DEGs than both competitors across the full range of significance thresholds, suggesting greater sensitivity for capturing the full transcriptional response to differentiation.

Sample Datasets

Human

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (9.5M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
79.9 MB

Mouse

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (8.9M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
78.6 MB

Cattle

Number of samples:
54
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (5.7M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
28.4 MB

Wild Boar

Number of samples:
54
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (6.3M reads per sample)  contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
27.7 MB

Bat

Number of samples:
23
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (9M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
23.3 MB

Arabidopsis

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (3M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
47.9 MB

Spinach

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (9M reads per sample)  contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
83.9 MB

Drosophila

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (3M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
38.2 MB

Zebrafish

Number of samples:
64
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (4M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
31.9 MB

Rainbow trout

Number of samples:
16
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (5.3M reads per sample)  contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
8.76 MB

Medaka

Number of samples:
96
Reads per sample in demo dataset:
10'000 reads

To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (4.7M reads per sample) contact us.

Demo dataset file size:
50.6 MB

Product documentation

BRB-seq User Guide

Plant BRB-seq User Guide

Barcode files

Publications

2024
Stéphanie Boder‐Pasche, Mustafa Demir, Sarah Heub, Manon Garzuel, Réal Ischer, Daniel Migliozzi,  Siegfried Graf, Noa Schmid, H. Baris Atakan, Daria Gudkova, Daniel Alpern,  Riccardo Dainese, Bart Deplancke, Gilles Weder
2025
Pham, C.N., Castelli, F., Finet, F., Leroy, C., Chollet, C., Chirayath, T.W., Moitra, S., Zarka, M., Ostertag, A., Brial, F., Combes, C., Latourte, A., Bardin, T., Fenaille, F., Richette, P. and Ea, H.K.

Application

Equipment compatibility

Illumina and AVITI NGS instruments

Species compatibility

All eukaryotic species

Available formats

96 and 384 preps

Shipping conditions

Dry ice

Storage conditions

-20C

Each BRB-seq kit contains reagents (including four pairs of Unique Dual Indexing adapters) sufficient for the complete library preparation process for four different BRB-seq pools.

To note, the total number of RNA samples that can be processed with one kit does not exceed the kit specifications; for instance, a 96-sample kit can be used to prepare up to 96 samples distributed across up to four different libraries.

The recommended range of RNA amount for each sample is 50-1000 ng. Normally, the more RNA, the better.

The minimum recommended RIN number is 6 and the A260/230 ratio (Nanodrop) should be in the 1.5-2.2 range.

The only difference between BRB-seq and standard RNA-seq data analysis is the demultiplexing step, which is used to assign sequencing reads to their sample of origin based on the BRB-seq barcode sequence.

For a thorough description of BRB-seq data processing, please refer to the BRB-seq kit user guide. 

One of the key advantages of BRB-seq is that it does not only save reagents and cost in the library preparation stage, but also in the sequencing one.

As opposed to standard RNA-seq, where 20M-30M reads per sample are required, we normally recommend to sequence BRB-seq libraries at a depth of 4M-5M reads per sample, which is normally enough to detect the vast majority of expressed genes.

The barcode set for your kit is conveniently located on the kit label. Please refer to the label for accurate identification.

For optimal compatibility, ensure that you use the appropriate plate format (e.g., for kits designed for 96 reactions, the 96 well-plate format should be used). This ensures accurate and efficient processing of your samples. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact our support team for assistance by email or using our live chat tool.

Ask your question:

Kit name

Catalog number

Total preps
Barcoded plates
UDI
pairs
Species compatibility

MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq library prep kit (96 preps)

#10813
96
1
4
Human, mouse, rat, plants,
all eukaryotic species

MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq library prep kit (4x96 preps)

#11013
384
4
4
Human, mouse, rat, plants,
all eukaryotic species​

MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq library prep kit (384 preps)

#10814
384
1
4
Human, mouse, rat, plants,
all eukaryotic species​

MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq library prep kit (4x384 preps)

#11014
1,536
4
4
Human, mouse, rat, plants,
all eukaryotic species​

* Contact us to inquire about compatibility with other species. 

Accessories

Product

Catalog number
UDI Pairs

MERCURIUS™ UDI Expansion module

#10504
12

MERCURIUS™ Standard Post-Pooling Preparation Module (4 libraries)

#10501
-

Ordering tip

Each kit includes 4 UDI pairs. Add the expansion module if you need more unique indexes (total 16 UDI pairs available). 

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Interested in ordering MERCURIUS™ RNA-seq kits?