ABSTRACT
DNA sequencing has undergone a tremendous technological shift from the small-scale stateof-the-art Sanger sequencing (Sanger et al. 1977) to a large-scale venture comprising several of the latest technologies. This shift is marked by a large increase in throughput; greatly reduced per-base cost of raw sequence; specialized infrastructure of robotics, bioinformatics, databases, and instrumentation; and an accompanying requirement for extensive investment in equipment for proper utilization of the technologies. Prior to this metamorphosis in DNA sequencing technology, the landmark achievements by Sanger’s and Gilbert’s groups (Maxam and Gilbert 1977; Sanger and Coulson 1975) and the development of the chain termination method provided the framework for sequence-based research for decades. The original sequencing technology, the dideoxy chain termination method also commonly referred to as Sanger sequencing, dominated the sequencing industry for almost two decades, and was used to complete the human genome sequencing initiatives led by the International Genome Sequencing Consortium and Celera Genomics (International Human Genome Consortium 2004; Lander et al. 2001; Venter et al. 2001), along with other colossal accomplishments. The automated Sanger method pioneered by Sanger and Coulson (1975) and Sanger et al. (1977) is considered a first-generation technology and the newer methods are referred to as next-generation sequencing (NGS). These new technologies constitute various strategies that are based on a combination of one of the many protocols for template preparation, sequencing, imaging, genome alignment, and assembly. The commercial introduction of NGS technologies has changed our perspective on various scientific approaches in basic, applied, and clinical research.
