H udsonAlpha researchers are to analyze genomic data help make their goal a reality. One of the most promising new genomic technologies is long-read sequencing, which is an important tool in the sequencing arsenal at HudsonAlpha. Recent advances in long-read sequencing now allow for the production of reads that are up to 100 times longer than those from short-read sequencing. The longer reads allow researchers to characterize genetic variation inaccessible to short-read sequenc- ing, like repetitive regions and large structural variants in the genome, such as inversions, translocations, insertions, or deletions. Long-read sequencing helps committed to advancing genomics to improve the human condition. Developing new technologies in-house, adopting cutting-edge technologies from other labs, and creating new computational pipelines researchers at HudsonAlpha create high-quality, de novo genome sequences, map genes with more certainty, and detect many genetic variants missed by other approaches.
SEQUENCING COMPLICATED PLANT GENOMES
Researchers in the HudsonAlpha Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) , led by HudsonAlpha faculty investiga- tors Jane Grimwood, PhD , and Jeremy Schmutz , are experts at sequencing complicated plant genomes. Since 2008, they have generated and publicly released reference genomes for more than 180 plants. Their ge- nome sequencing expertise allowed them to beta-test PacBio’s Sequel II ® system in 2019. They now operate seven Sequel II systems and are one of the world’s largest SMRT sequencing centers. In addition to improving their de novo sequencing abilities, long-read sequencing also helps members of the GSC assemble and analyze complicated plant genomes. Long-read sequencing brought an eight- year, 28-institution study to a close in 2022 1 . The team
HUDSONALPHA INSTITUTE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY
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