TY  - GEN
A1  - Taron, Ulrike H.
A1  - Lell, Moritz
A1  - Barlow, Axel
A1  - Paijmans, Johanna L. A.
T1  - Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples
T2  - Genes
N2  - High-throughput sequence data retrieved from ancient or other degraded samples has led to unprecedented insights into the evolutionary history of many species, but the analysis of such sequences also poses specific computational challenges. The most commonly used approach involves mapping sequence reads to a reference genome. However, this process becomes increasingly challenging with an elevated genetic distance between target and reference or with the presence of contaminant sequences with high sequence similarity to the target species. The evaluation and testing of mapping efficiency and stringency are thus paramount for the reliable identification and analysis of ancient sequences. In this paper, we present ‘TAPAS’, (Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples), a computational tool that enables the systematic testing of mapping tools for ancient data by simulating sequence data reflecting the properties of an ancient dataset and performing test runs using the mapping software and parameter settings of interest. We showcase TAPAS by using it to assess and improve mapping strategy for a degraded sample from a banded linsang (Prionodon linsang), for which no closely related reference is currently available. This enables a 1.8-fold increase of the number of mapped reads without sacrificing mapping specificity. The increase of mapped reads effectively reduces the need for additional sequencing, thus making more economical use of time, resources, and sample material.
T3  - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 415 
KW  - ancient DNA
KW  - short-read mapping
KW  - palaeogenomics
KW  - alignment sensitivity / specificity
Y1  - 2018
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/40968
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-409683
ER  -