Custom sequencing projects include raw .fastq reads. Post-processing steps like barcode demultiplexing, variant binning, or consensus generation are handled by the customer. 

This service is primer-free, so please don’t send primers—separately or mixed in.

We rely on you to prepare samples that are clean and ready for sequencing. We do not provide DNA extraction or QC services. Use this checklist before shipping:

Concentration:
Normalize your samples to the required volume and concentration, measured using Qubit or a comparable fluorometric method. Do not use Nanodrop for concentration—it’s unreliable for this purpose.

Quantity:
DNA must be double-stranded. Verify the full-length size using gel electrophoresis:

• Use linear ladders for linear DNA
• Use supercoiled ladders for circular DNA
• For DNA >10–15 kb, we recommend pulsed-field electrophoresis with high-molecular-weight markers

Purity:
Ideal absorbance ratios:

• 260/280 > 1.8
• 260/230 between 2.0–2.2
  Nanodrop can be used only for purity checks—not for quantification.

Samples must be free of:

• RNA (RNase treatment strongly advised)
• Denaturants (e.g., guanidinium, phenol)
• Detergents (e.g., SDS, Triton-X100)
• Biological contaminants (e.g., heme, humic acid, polyphenols)
• Insoluble material or visible cloudiness/color

Refer to our Results Interpretation Guide for a complete breakdown of how to read and evaluate your sequencing output.

Important Note for Multi-Sample Projects
We quantify your DNA fluorometrically and pool it in equimolar ratios. Natural variations in sample quality may result in uneven data yield. To help offset this, we include a free data buffer, but please keep the following in mind:

• A sample yielding ≥75% of the per-sample data target is considered complete.
• A sample yielding <75% will be rerun once for free. We may request a new sample if the initial run underperforms severely.

Have strict per-sample requirements? Let us know upfront—we can adjust the target so even 75% of that value meets your minimum threshold. Pricing will be based on this raised target.

Need Uneven Multiplexing?
We default to equal pooling, but if you need different data volumes per sample, no problem—just let us know during project setup. Each sample’s success is measured against 75% of its individual target.