An interview exploring PacBio RS SMRT sequencing system’s long read lengths, accuracy, speed, throughput, and applications.
The interview introduces the PacBio RS single‑molecule real‑time (SMRT) sequencing platform, highlighting its current average read length of about 1300 bp and the upcoming C2 reagent upgrade that is expected to raise the average to 2500‑3000 bp, with occasional reads exceeding 10 kb. It also notes the system’s launch in late 2012 and its positioning as the first third‑generation sequencing platform.
The discussion covers technical performance such as raw read accuracy (85‑92 % average 87 %), consensus accuracy up to 99.999 % at 30× coverage, polymerase synthesis speed of 1‑3 bases per second (>100 bp/min), and throughput (≈90 M mappable bases per SMRT cell, up to 12 cells per day). It further examines cost considerations, market role, and diverse applications ranging from de novo genome assembly to methylation and pathogen detection. This manual is written in Chinese.
| Current average read length | 1300 bp |
|---|---|
| Projected average read length with C2 | 2500‑3000 bp |
| Maximum read length observed | >10 kb |
| Raw single‑molecule accuracy | 85‑92 % (average 87 %) |
| Consensus accuracy at 30× | 99.999 % |
| ZMWs per SMRT cell | 150,000 |
| Data output per SMRT cell (C2) | ≈90 M mappable bases |
Raw single‑molecule accuracy ranges from 85 % to 92 %, with an average of 87 %.