Special Issue: Next Generation DNA Sequencing

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) refers to technologies that do not rely on traditional dideoxy-nucleotide (Sanger) sequencing where labeled DNA fragments are physically resolved by electrophoresis. These new technologies rely on different strategies, but essentially all of them make use of real-time data collection of a base level incorporation event across a massive number of reactions (on the order of millions versus 96 for capillary electrophoresis for instance). The major commercial NGS platforms available to researchers are the 454 Genome Sequencer (Roche), Illumina (formerly Solexa) Genome analyzer, the SOLiD system (Applied Biosystems/Life Technologies) and the Heliscope (Helicos Corporation). The techniques and different strategies utilized by these platforms are reviewed in a number of the papers in this special issue. These technologies are enabling new applications that take advantage of the massive data produced by this next generation of sequencing instruments. [...]