*** 9612376 Young This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project addresses the problem of associating consistent, quantitative error rate estimates with DNA sequence data and the resulting improved quality control on such data. The growing use of DNA sequence data in research, databases, diagnostic and therapeutic biotechnology, and even litigation requires that the quality of data being used be objectively assessable. Variables will be identified which are important to quality control of DNA sequencing such as error dependency on sequence content and position. Methods will be developed for including such error rate information into existing and developing database entries and, based on results from sequencing known optimally designed DNA sequences, provide a quality control score for laboratories which routinely contribute DNA sequence data to such databases. The project will also develop protocols and user-friendly software for periodically assessing the current state of performance for given sequencing machines. This investigation will be based on theoretical statistical analyses, computer simulations, and on results from sequencing experiments using specially designed, synthetic DNA fragments. ***
