What is library preparation?

Library preparation refers to the process of converting DNA or RNA samples into a format suitable for sequencing on high-throughput sequencing platforms. This typically involves fragmenting the nucleic acid, adding adapters to the ends of the fragments, and amplifying the adapted fragments using PCR. Library preparation is a crucial step in next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflows, as it enables the sequencing platform to recognize and bind to the DNA/RNA fragments, allowing for accurate and efficient sequencing. Different library preparation methods exist, tailored to specific applications such as whole-genome sequencing, exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and ChIP sequencing.