Publication Date
10-14-2024
Journal
Genome Biology
DOI
10.1186/s13059-024-03414-4
PMID
39402664
PMCID
PMC11472564
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
10-14-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Genomics, Metagenomics, Humans, Software
Abstract
The exponential increase in sequencing data calls for conceptual and computational advances to extract useful biological insights. One such advance, minimizers, allows for reducing the quantity of data handled while maintaining some of its key properties. We provide a basic introduction to minimizers, cover recent methodological developments, and review the diverse applications of minimizers to analyze genomic data, including de novo genome assembly, metagenomics, read alignment, read correction, and pangenomes. We also touch on alternative data sketching techniques including universal hitting sets, syncmers, or strobemers. Minimizers and their alternatives have rapidly become indispensable tools for handling vast amounts of data.
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