NGS basics
Sequencing is the process of reading the nucleotide order (A, T, C, G) of DNA or RNA fragments.
Everything in library prep exists to get fragments into a state the sequencer can read accurately and attribute to the right sample.
The RNA Integrity Number (RIN) is a numerical score, from 1 to 10, used to rate the quality of an RNA sample.
Read depth is the total number of individual sequence reads generated for a given sample or region.
Primers are short single-stranded sequences that bind a DNA template and act as the starting point for DNA synthesis.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a technique that copies a specific DNA sequence exponentially through repeated temperature cycles.
Next generation sequencing (NGS) is a high-throughput technology that reads millions of DNA or RNA fragments in parallel.