Data Analysis Support - Part 2
Reviewing the Excel Spreadsheet...
The Excel spreadsheet contains important information about your samples. The primary information is a cross-reference of the sample file name to your sample information. The samples are named like this: "27_030.ab1" and "27_030.seq". The "27" bit corresponds to the sample number that is shown at the left of the Excel spreadsheet. The second number (in the example above, "030") is the capillary number. We apologise if this is confusing, but we need to have the capillary number displayed to help with trouble shooting problems. The reason why the sample and capillary numbers are not the same is a historical thing... please don't ask. On each line of the spreadsheet there are columns showing the sample information that relates to the sample file name. If this information is not correct, please contact us before doing anything else. It is possible that the results are not yours! Also, be aware that there might be information on the spreadsheet (and files in the results folder) belonging to more than one person from your laboratory. We might also have had to split your samples over more than one run. If not all your samples are present, take a look at the last line of the spreadsheet. If it shows sample "48" or "96", this means that any other samples from that batch will be on the next run. Please be patient and don't assume that we have forgotten about the rest of your samples. Runs take time to finish and your results will be made available as soon as they are ready!
In the case of courtesy reactions that have been performed by us in an attempt to assist you, there will often be a code on the left of the spreadsheet that indicates what altered processing was performed (altered from the standard processing based on our evaluation of the quality of the result and what we feel might be the reason for the poor quality of that result). Some of the more common codes are:
- "GC" or "DG": Use of a reagent that can help with strong secondary structure or repeats
- "8Y": Use of a reagent that can boost the signal from weak results
- "Dil": Dilution of a sample that was too strong initially
- "4Y": Boosting weak signal combined with diluting an inhibitor
- "12Y": Boosting weak signal combined with using more template
Careful inspection of these codes together with reading of the email you received regarding the results being ready can provide you with an indication of what the problem was with the original samples. Proper analysis of your results (see below) will also help with this.
Price code information is also shown on the spreadsheet. Usually this will be "2" (indicating a standard reaction), or "0" (indicating a free of charge reaction). However, other charging codes do exist and these can be found on the price list page.