Sequencing of circulating nucleic acids from low serum volumes

Circulating nucleic acids released from tissues have been found to harbor tumor-specific molecular alterations and to be representative for the molecular composition of the tumor. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of circulating nucleic acids provides the benefits of exome-wide information and allows the identification of novel biomarkers for minimal-invasive cancer diagnostics. We implemented a workflow for the NGS analysis of circulating nucleic acids from low amounts (200 µl) of serum. First, protocols for isolation, quantification, and QC of nucleic acids, as well as library preparation for exome-enriched DNA…