MERCURIUS™
High-Sensitivity BRB-seq Kits
for cost-effective bulk
RNA-seq
Massively multiplexed library prep kits for low-input RNA - compatible with all eukaryotic cells
High sensitivity for
low-input RNA
Bulk RNA
sequencing at scale
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 diverse species and tissues, even when purified input RNA is scarce. Ideal for studies with larger cohorts, more conditions, or more timepoints than possible to assess with standard high-sensitivity bulk RNA-seq methods.
MERCURIUS™ High-Sensitivity BRB-seq enables 3’ mRNA-seq at screening scale on RNA inputs as low as 1 ng per well through early barcoding and multiplexing for up to 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, high-sensitivity bulk RNA-seq on Illumina® and AVITI™ platforms and is compatible with standard high-throughput screening infrastructure.
5M reads/sample
Applications
Low-input bulk RNA-seq from precious or limited samples (small biopsies, sorted cells, rare cell populations).
Gene expression profiling when RNA yield is too low for standard bulk RNA-seq, but high-throughput screening is still needed.
Scaling transcriptome profiling of low-abundance samples instead of qPCR or targeted panels.
1. MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq and HS BRB-seq Enable Flexible, Scalable Pooling Across a Wide Range of RNA Inputs and Sample Numbers
Total RNA input requirements for MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq and High Sensitivity BRB-seq (HS BRB-seq) across pool sizes of 24, 96, and 384 samples, and per-well RNA inputs of 1–1,000 ng. Standard BRB-seq supports per-well inputs from 10–1,000 ng, while HS BRB-seq extends compatibility down to 1 ng per well, enabling profiling of low-input samples such as rare cell populations or limited clinical material. Together, the two protocols cover total pool inputs ranging from 96 ng to 384,000 ng, providing a flexible and scalable solution for experiments of any size.
2. MERCURIUS™ HS BRB-seq has Superior Gene Detection at Low RNA Inputs Where Standard BRB-seq Sensitivity Declines
Number of detected genes between MERCURIUS™ BRB-seq and MERCURIUS™ High Sensitivity BRB-seq at different RNA inputs per sample. 96 samples were pooled together and sequenced at 2M reads/sample, and all replicates were prepared from the same RNA sample. These results demonstrate that MERCURIUS™ HS BRB-seq is the protocol of choice for low-input applications, preserving sensitivity where standard BRB-seq is compromised.
Sample Datasets
Did not find
360
10'000 reads
To have access to the deep-sequenced dataset (31 GB reads per sample) contact us.
217 MB
Product documentation
Publications
- 3' BRB-seq, BRB-seq
Larissa Carvalho Costa, Christopher Gottschalk, Davis M. Upchurch, Oscar P. Hurtado-Gonzales, Ben N. Mansfeld, Alan Yocca, Lauren Whitt, Cheryl Vann, Gennaro Fazio
- 3' BRB-seq, BRB-seq
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
- 3' BRB-seq, BRB-seq
Maxine Leonardi, Yves Paychère, Felix Naef.
Application
Equipment compatibility
Species compatibility
Available formats
Shipping conditions
Storage conditions
How many pools can I prepare with one kit?
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-samples kit can be used to prepare up-to 96 samples distributed across up-to four different libraries.
What are the requirements for the RNA samples?
The recommended range of RNA amount for each sample, using the High Sensitivity BRB-seq library prep kit, is as low as 1ng per well, normally, the more RNA, the better.
The minimum recommended RIN number is 7 and the A260/230 ratio (Nanodrop) should be in the 1.5-2.2 range.
How does the bioinformatic analysis differ as compared to standard RNA-seq?
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 data analysis user guide.
What is the recommended sequencing depth for each RNA sample?
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.
How do I identify which barcode set I should use to demultiplex my data?
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
pairs
MERCURIUS™ High-Sensitivity BRB-seq library prep kit (96 preps)
all eukaryotic species
MERCURIUS™ High-Sensitivity BRB-seq library prep kit (4x96 preps)
all eukaryotic species
MERCURIUS™ High-Sensitivity BRB-seq library prep kit (384 preps)
all eukaryotic species
MERCURIUS™ High-Sensitivity BRB-seq library prep kit (4x384 preps)
all eukaryotic species
Accessories
Product
MERCURIUS™ UDI Expansion module
MERCURIUS™ Standard Post-Pooling Preparation Module (4 libraries)
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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