I just got done with an analysis based on a Sanger sequencing assay, where having the raw trace files was absolutely invaluable. They saved me from publishing some very "interesting" results which were actually experimental artifacts because they showed up in the trace files as sequencing anomalies which weren't caught by the SNP detection software we used.
Now I'm moving on to a project based on SOLiD sequencing, and I've learned that my collaborators are throwing away the raw fluorescence image files. The fact that I will not be able to go back to the raw data to check for anomalies makes me nervous, and I am trying to decide whether to push back on this policy. I am wondering whether people assessing SOLiD sequence calls ever get any added value from examining a sample of pertinent raw image files.
Now I'm moving on to a project based on SOLiD sequencing, and I've learned that my collaborators are throwing away the raw fluorescence image files. The fact that I will not be able to go back to the raw data to check for anomalies makes me nervous, and I am trying to decide whether to push back on this policy. I am wondering whether people assessing SOLiD sequence calls ever get any added value from examining a sample of pertinent raw image files.
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