Coming of age: ten years of next-generation sequencing technologies

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Abstract
There are two major paradigms in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology: short-read sequencing and long-read sequencing. Short-read sequencing approaches provide lower-cost, higher-accuracy data that are useful for population-level research and clinical variant discovery. By contrast, long-read approaches provide read lengths that are well suited for de novo genome assembly applications and full-length isoform sequencing. NGS technologies have been evolving over the past 10 years, leading to substantial improvements in quality and yield; however, certain approaches have proven to be more effective and adaptable than others. Recent improvements in chemistry, costs, throughput and accessibility are driving the emergence of new, varied technologies to address applications that were not previously possible. These include integrated long-read and short-read sequencing studies, routine clinical DNA sequencing, real-time pathogen DNA monitoring and massive population-level projects. Although massive strides are being made in this technology, several notable limitations remain. The time required to sequence and analyse data limits the use of NGS in clinical applications in which time is an important factor; the costs and error rates of long-read sequencing make it prohibitive for routine use, and ethical considerations can limit the public and private use of genetic data. We can expect increasing democratization and options for NGS in the future. Many new instruments with varied chemistries and applications are being released or being developed.