PaSS: a sequencing simulator for PacBio sequencing

BACKGROUND: Third-generation sequencing platforms, such as PacBio sequencing, have been developed rapidly in recent years. PacBio sequencing generates much longer reads than the second-generation sequencing (or the next generation sequencing, NGS) technologies and it has unique sequencing error patterns. An effective read simulator is essential to evaluate and promote the development of new bioinformatics tools for PacBio sequencing data analysis. RESULTS: We developed a new PacBio Sequencing Simulator (PaSS). It can learn sequence patterns from PacBio sequencing data currently available. In addition to the distribution of read lengths and error rates, we included a context-specific sequencing error model. Compared to existing PacBio sequencing simulators such as PBSIM, LongISLND and NPBSS, PaSS performed better in many aspects. Assembly tests also suggest that reads simulated by PaSS are the most similar to experimental sequencing data. CONCLUSION: PaSS is an effective sequence simulator for PacBio sequencing. It will facilitate the evaluation and development of new analysis tools for the third-generation sequencing data. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-019-2901-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.