The PGTB is a technological infrastructure supported by BIOGECO unit and open to the entire academic scientific community and to industrial players. The PGTB is part of the INRAE Genomics Research Infrastructure, along with the GeT and CNRGV platforms in Toulouse, Gentyane in Clermont-Ferrand and EPGV in Evry. The PGTB is also a member of the France Génomique network, which brings together the main genomics platforms in France. It is a member of the Fédération des Plateformes Labellisées de l’Université de Bordeaux and has been awarded the Plateforme stratégique label by INRAE (CNOC) and the GIS IBISA.

The PGTB develops and offers services using medium- and high-throughput technologies based on sequencing (sequencing of short and long DNA fragments, targeted metagenomics, sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes, total metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, gene capture, etc.), mutation search and genotyping (SNP, INDEL and microsatellites), quantification of gene expression and analysis of environmental, sensitive or ancient DNA in confined laboratories.

Expertise

Sequencing

PGTB offers various sequencing solutions for a wide range of applications. Projects are carried out on Illumina NetxSeq 2000 and iSeq 100 short-read sequencers and on Oxford Nanopore PromethION and MinION long-read sequencers. PGTB also offers ready-to-load sequencing on Illumina NextSeq 2000 of RNAseq, single-cell, ATAC-seq, Chip-seq, WGS, etc. library pools.

Genotyping

PGTB has developed an innovative method of microsatellite (SSR) genotyping using Illumina sequencing and offers a turnkey service including (1) if required, the development of SSR markers from random sequencing data carried out by PGTB or from pre-existing genomic resources, (2) amplification tests and sequencing of the markers, (3) bioinformatics analysis to validate the markers and generate a table of genotypes. This SSRseq technology offers an innovative solution for continuing to characterise these powerful genetic markers, which were previously done using capillary sequencing. It is also ideally suited to species with no genomic resources, as it enables informative markers to be developed rapidly and at lower cost for a wide range of applications.

The PGTB also has a MassArray system (Agena Bioscience) that can characterise di-, tri- and tetra-allelic SNPs and INDELs (up to 40 bp) by mass spectrometry, with very high accuracy. Different combinations are possible: up to 40 SNPs on 380 samples, up to 80 SNPs on 190 samples, and up to 160 SNPs on 95 samples.

Robotics

The PGTB is equipped with a STAR (Hamilton) robot fitted with a 96 pipette head and 8 individual pipettes. This robot can dilute, rearrange and pool samples, primers and PCR products in 96 and 384 plates. A Dragonfly (SPT Labtech) is also available for ultra-fast, non-contact distribution of mixes in 96 or 384 plates. Finally, PGTB recently invested in a BlueWasher (BlueCat Bio) robot for centrifugal purification of sequencing libraries in 96 and 384 format, saving thousands of robotic spikes each year.

Contained laboratory

This laboratory is equipped with clean rooms with filtered air, positive pressure and UV radiation. It is dedicated to the study of environmental DNA and ‘sensitive’ samples (wood, herbarium, etc.). It has full molecular biology equipment and several rooms for sample preparation, DNA extractions and the preparation of PCRs and sequencing libraries.

Main achievments

Around 100 to 120 sequencing and genotyping projects have been carried out each year since 2009. The PGTB provides its services and expertise for regional, national and international projects in fields as varied as health, forestry research, vines and wine, microbiology, agronomy, ecology, conservation and the environment.

Last update February 2025