Table 2.

Comparison of performance metrics for the four major next-generation sequencing technologies.

	PacBio	Illumina	Ion Torrent	Oxford NanoPore
Error Rate	High	Low	Low	High
Read Length	Long	Short	Short	Long
Cost	High	Low	Low	High

To generate a high quality whole genome sequence, a combination of methodologies assuring both low error rate and long read length must be used. The ideal technology would provide long read lengths and low error rates, but such a technology does not yet exist. Hybrid (orthogonal) sequencing technologies must be employed in order to generate a high-quality complete (closed) genome sequence. Error rate is a reflection of sequence quality. Longer read lengths facilitate complete genome assemblies. Long read lengths are typically 10’s of kilobases. Short read lengths are typically 100’s of bases. High error rates are estimated to be greater than 1%, whereas low error rates are less than 0.1%.