Figure 1

Contribution of different factors to the overall cost of a sequencing project across time. Left, the four-step process: (i) experimental design and sample collection, (ii) sequencing, (iii) data reduction and management, and (iv) downstream analysis. Right, the changes over time of relative impact of these four components of a sequencing experiment. BAM, Binary Sequence Alignment/Map; BED, Browser Extensible Data; CRAM, compression algorithm; MRF, Mapped Read Format; NGS, next-generation sequencing; TAR, transcriptionally active region; VCF, Variant Call Format.