A new feature that was added with the recent PacBio upgrade is something called ‘Stage Start’. This allows for data collection to start earlier than it did previously. When this option is used, data collection begins immediately after the polymerase is activated, resulting in longer reads.
Below are the results from a quick test we performed. We sequenced two libraries with and without the ‘Stage Start’ feature turned on.
The libraries sequenced were about 8kb in length, and were sequenced using the Magbead Standard Seq v1 protocol. One 90-minute movie was taken of each SMRTcell. Standard Polymerase Binding and Sequencing kits were used (not the newer ‘XL’ version of the kits).