Pacific Biosciences Contributes Whole Genome Sequence Data for German E. Coli Outbreak Strain and 11 Related Strains for Comparative Analysis

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (NASDAQ: PACB) announced that it has completed a de novo sequence assembly of the Escherichia coli O104:H4 strain responsible for the recent outbreak in Germany using its Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT™) technology, and sequenced 11 related bacterial strains (including six previously unsequenced strains of the same serotype) for comparative analyses. An international team of scientific experts on E. coli collaborated on the rapid sequencing project to provide more comprehensive information about the origins of the strain that gave rise to the deadly outbreak. The data were generated using an early version of chemistry and software in development at Pacific Biosciences for the next major PacBio RS product upgrade, planned for the fourth quarter of 2011.