Machine Learned Replacement of N-Labels for Basecalled Sequences in DNA Barcoding

This study presents a machine learning method that increases the number of identified bases in Sanger Sequencing. The system post-processes a KB-base called chromatogram. It selects a recoverable subset of N-labels in the KB-called chromatogram to replace with basecalls (A,C,G,T). An N-label correction is defined given an additional read of the same sequence, and a human finished sequence. Corrections are added to the dataset when an alignment determines the additional read and human agree on the identity of the N-label. KB must also rate the replacement with quality value of > 60 in the additional read. Corrections are only available during system training. Developing the system, nearly 850,000 N-labels are obtained from Barcode of Life Data systems, the premier database of genetic markers called DNA Barcodes. Increasing the number of correct bases improves reference sequence reliability, increases sequence identification accuracy, and assures analysis correctness. Keeping with barcoding standards, our system maintains an error rate of <; 1 percent. Our system only applies corrections when it estimates low rate of error. Tested on this data, our automation selects and recovers: 79 percent of N-labels from COI (animal barcode); 80 percent from matK and rbcL (plant barcodes); and 58 percent from non-protein-coding sequences (across eukaryotes).