Illumina DNA sequencers are generally the most commonly used platform for DNA metabarcoding studies. If using an Illumina machine then the raw metabarcoding sequence data will be provided in .fastq format, which is a standardized genetic notation. At this stage, each eDNA sample will have a unique text file containing all of the genetic sequences and quality information obtained from the sample. These data require processing before they can be used for data analysis.
Your Service Provider will be able to tell you which DNA sequencing machine is being used.
Processing these raw data is called ‘bioinformatics’. Many Service Providers will include this step as a deliverable when samples are submitted for sequencing. Some web based tools also exist for processing raw data without the need for bioinformatics experience
(e.g. see eDNA Explorer).
