The chemistry of next-generation sequencing

The first large genome fully sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS) was that of a bacteriophage using sequencing by synthesis (SBS) as a paradigm. SBS in NGS is underpinned by 'reversible-terminator chemistry'. To grow from proof of concept to being both affordable and practical, SBS needed to overcome a series of challenges, each of which required the invention of new chemistries. These included the design and synthesis of unnatural deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), engineering a suitable polymerase, a new surface chemistry and an ingenious molecular solution to neutralize copying errors inherent to all polymerases. In this historical Perspective, we discuss how NGS was developed from Sanger sequencing, highlighting the chemistry behind this technology, which has impacted biology in unprecedented ways. A historical perspective on how next-generation sequencing chemistry was developed.