Overview of the 454 Sequencing System Software

1. Overview of the 454 Sequencing System Software

1.	Overview of the 454 Sequencing System Software

1.1 Data Acquisition, Data Processing and Data Analysis

1.2 Data Processing Options

1.3 Data Output and Folder Structure

The 454 Sequencing System, developed by 454 Life Sciences Corporation, a Roche company, is an ultra-high-throughput automated DNA sequencing system capable of carrying out and monitoring sequencing reactions in a massively parallel fashion (tens to hundreds of thousands of simultaneous reactions, in the “wells” of a PicoTiterPlate device). During DNA-directed DNA synthesis, pyrophosphate (PPi) is released with each nucleotide addition; the system’s chemistry generates an amount of light commensurate with the amount of PPi released; this light is captured by a charge-coupled device camera and converted into a digital signal. (For more information on the basics of the 454 Sequencing System, please refer to the GS Junior Instrument Owner’s Manual or the GS FLX+ Instrument Owner’s Manual).

The 454 Sequencing System software is fully backward-compatible with, and can process data sets generated under any of the 454 Sequencing System’s chemistries (GS 20 chemistry, GS FLX standard chemistry, GS FLX Titanium and GS Junior Titanium chemistry). This manual describes all the functionalities of the software, even those that apply only to data sets generated with older chemistries. Note, however, that it comprises a separate Part A for the GS Junior System and the GS FLX+ System.