Computational analysis of stochastic heterogeneity in PCR amplification efficiency revealed by single molecule barcoding

This paper was primarily the work of labmates Katharine Best and Theres Oakes (in the dry and wet lab respectively), showing that unique molecular identifiers allow detection of unequal amplification of even identical DNA molecules in a PCR. I discussed this in a blog nearer the time, but I like to include it as it’s a nice reminder to myself to chase up interesting findings: this line of inquiry in the group came out of us musing over some of my results in lab meetings, going over observations I’d made as I was piloting the first version of our UMI-barcoded TCRseq protocols.