12. JGI-LANL Sequencing Cost Reduction and Quality Improvement: R&D Results 

Owatha L. "Tootie" Tatum and P. Scott White 
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 
tootie@telomere.lanl.gov 

With recent dramatic increases in JGI's sequencing effort, the need to improve efficiency and reduce costs while maintaining high quality standards is of utmost importance. To this end, JGI and other large-scale genome sequencing facilities have recognized that an active research and development team is vital to their success. Aspects of LANL sequencing R&D goals include improvements in sequencing reactions - in the form of modifications of existing systems and investigation into and development of new sequencing technologies and automation systems. As part of the sequencing effort for the JGI, LANL has placed sequencing research and development as an important priority. 

In efforts to reduce costs, several modifications of existing chemistries have been examined, resulting in striking reductions in cost with actual improvements in read length and sequence quality. The protocols resulting from these R&D efforts have been implemented in the LANL production sequencing and finishing efforts with great success. Sequence obtained from difficult templates (i.e. BAC DNA) has been improved dramatically as a result of chemistry R&D as well. While improvements in chemistry have had the most immediate impact on cost, LANL has also focused on quality control and automation issues to further streamline the sequencing process. Commercially available automation equipment has been implemented into the production process line with a considerable saving of technician hands-on time. In addition to time/cost savings, high throughput automated systems have also been implemented to improve quality control early in the sequencing process. All aspects of sequencing R&D conducted by Los Alamos to date will contribute to the work at Production Sequencing Facility and may be of interest to other large-scale sequencing facilities as well.