A new algorithm published yesterday (July 2) in Nature Biotechnology takes the best of second- and third-generation sequencing technologies to produce fuller and more accurate whole genome sequences.
Second-generation sequencers read short DNA snippets—between 100 and 700 base pairs long—then stitch them together to produce a full genome. However, stitching them in the correct order remains a challenge. Third-generation sequencers, on the other hand, can read long stretches of DNA at once, but are more prone to errors. The new algorithm, developed by researchers at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center in Frederick, Maryland, corrects the sequences obtained from third-generation sequencers using the short reads of their second-generation counterparts.
The researchers tested the new algorithm on the Escherichia coli and yeast genomes, and found ...
