Fragmentation Enzyme Mix

NGS library construction workflows require reproducible DNA fragmentation to generate insert sizes compatible with short-read sequencers. QIAGEN Fragmentation Enzyme Mix provides a controlled enzymatic alternative to acoustic shearing, randomly cleaving double-stranded DNA in a single-tube reaction that is subsequently end-repaired and adapter-ligated. The enzyme formulation is tuned for the QIAseq library prep chemistry and is supplied as a single-use vial that should be thawed on ice immediately before use and stored at -20 °C to preserve nuclease activity.

Each fragmentation reaction typically combines 1-5 uL of the mix with input DNA in the supplied fragmentation buffer, followed by an incubation of 5-30 minutes at 30 °C or 37 °C depending on the target insert size distribution. Because the cleavage is enzymatic rather than physical, the reagent delivers consistent fragment profiles across varying DNA input amounts without requiring a focused-ultrasonicator or bead-based shear cleanup step. The mix integrates into standard Illumina-compatible workflows and supports both PCR-free and low-input protocols when paired with the appropriate QIAGEN adapter chemistry, making it a flexible option for amplicon, exome, and whole-genome library builds. For research use only; not intended for diagnostic applications.