Average Read Coverage Calculator

Formula

To calculate the Average Read Coverage (\(X\)):

\[ X = \frac{R}{G} \]

Where:

\(X\) is the average read coverage
\(R\) is the total number of reads
\(G\) is the genome size in base pairs (bp)

What is Average Read Coverage?

Average read coverage, often referred to simply as coverage, is a measure used in genomics to describe the average number of times a nucleotide in the genome is read during sequencing. High coverage indicates that each base pair in the genome has been read multiple times, which can lead to more accurate sequencing results. Conversely, low coverage might indicate that some regions of the genome have not been read sufficiently, potentially leading to gaps or errors in the sequencing data.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Total Number of Reads (\(R\)) = 3,000,000
Genome Size (\(G\)) = 1,000,000 bp

Using the formula:

\[ X = \frac{3,000,000}{1,000,000} = 3 \]

The average read coverage is 3.

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Total Number of Reads (\(R\)) = 5,000,000
Genome Size (\(G\)) = 2,000,000 bp

Using the formula:

\[ X = \frac{5,000,000}{2,000,000} = 2.5 \]

The average read coverage is 2.5.