Figure 3

Simulation results for different Next Generation sequencing technologies. Simulation results illustrating predicted outcomes for different transcriptome sequencing technologies with a complex library expressing ca. 18,000 genes. Left column illustrates predicted outcomes as a function of MB of sequence; right column gives predicted outcomes as a function of estimated sequencing cost (see text for cost assumptions, which do not include varied costs for RNA isolation and library preparation). Each simulated data set was used to calculate: A) percent of transcriptome sequenced with at least one read and not necessarily in one contiguous sequence, B) number of genes tagged, C) number of unigenes obtained, D) mean unigene length (bp), E) percent of reads that are singleton sequences, and F) the number of genes with 100% coverage. Each technology is represented by a different line color, with solid lines indicating non-normalized libraries and dashed lines indicating theoretically perfectly normalized libraries. EST5 = 5' capillary sequence (black); GS20 = 454 GS20 (green); GSFLX = 454 GSFLX (blue); SOL = Solexa (red). The following prices (per MB) were used in the calculations: EST5 ($1330), GS20 ($240), GSFLX ($90), and SOL ($4). For several of the measures, the Solexa result is hidden under the topmost line. Additional details provided in text.