Advances in DNA sequencing revolutionized the field of genomics over the last 5 years. New sequencing instruments make it possible to rapidly generate large amounts of sequence data at substantially lower cost. These high-throughput sequencing technologies (e.g. Roche 454 FLX, Life Technology SOLiD, Dover Polonator, Helicos HeliScope and Illumina Genome Analyzer) make whole genome sequencing and resequencing, transcript sequencing as well as quantification of gene expression, DNA-protein interactions and DNA methylation feasible at an unanticipated scale. In the field of evolutionary genomics, high-throughput sequencing permitted studies of whole genomes from ancient specimens of different hominin groups. Further, it allowed large-scale population genetics studies of present-day humans as well as different types of sequence-based comparative genomics studies in primates. Such comparisons of humans with closely related apes and hominins are important not only to better understand human origins and the biological background of what sets humans apart from other organisms, but also for understanding the molecular basis for diseases and disorders, particularly those that affect uniquely human traits, such as speech disorders, autism or schizophrenia. However, while the cost and time required to create comparative data sets have been greatly reduced, the error profiles and limitations of the new platforms differ significantly from those of previous approaches. This requires a specific experimental design in order to circumvent these issues, or to handle them during data analysis. During the course of my PhD, I analyzed and improved current protocols and algorithms for next generation sequencing data, taking into account the specific characteristics of these new sequencing technologies. The presented approaches and algorithms were applied in different projects and are widely used within the department of Evolutionary Genetics at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology. In this thesis, I will present selected analyses from the whole genome shotgun sequencing of two ancient hominins and the quantification of gene expression from short-sequence tags in five tissues from three primates.

Advances in DNA sequencing revolutionized the field of genomics over the last 5 years. New sequencing instruments make it possible to rapidly generate large amounts of sequence data at substantially lower cost. These high-throughput sequencing technologies (e.g. Roche 454 FLX, Life Technology SOLiD, Dover Polonator, Helicos HeliScope and Illumina Genome Analyzer) make whole genome sequencing and resequencing, transcript sequencing as well as quantification of gene expression, DNA-protein interactions and DNA methylation feasible at an unanticipated scale. In the field of evolutionary genomics, high-throughput sequencing permitted studies of whole genomes from ancient specimens of different hominin groups. Further, it allowed large-scale population genetics studies of present-day humans as well as different types of sequence-based comparative genomics studies in primates. Such comparisons of humans with closely related apes and hominins are important not only to better understand human origins and the biological background of what sets humans apart from other organisms, but also for understanding the molecular basis for diseases and disorders, particularly those that affect uniquely human traits, such as speech disorders, autism or schizophrenia. However, while the cost and time required to create comparative data sets have been greatly reduced, the error profiles and limitations of the new platforms differ significantly from those of previous approaches. This requires a specific experimental design in order to circumvent these issues, or to handle them during data analysis. During the course of my PhD, I analyzed and improved current protocols and algorithms for next generation sequencing data, taking into account the specific characteristics of these new sequencing technologies. The presented approaches and algorithms were applied in different projects and are widely used within the department of Evolutionary Genetics at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology. In this thesis, I will present selected analyses from the whole genome shotgun sequencing of two ancient hominins and the quantification of gene expression from short-sequence tags in five tissues from three primates.