Final answer:
SOLiD sequencing is a high-throughput technique that sequences DNA by ligating short fragments to adapters and sequencing on a surface with fluorescent signals in a massively parallel fashion, different from 454 sequencing where beads and light signals after nucleotide incorporation are used.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea behind the SOLiD sequencing technology, which is part of massive parallel sequencing, is similar to the 454 sequencing (pyrosequencing) in that they both aim to quickly sequence DNA on a large scale. In SOLiD sequencing, short fragments of DNA are ligated to known sequences, or adapters, and then fixed onto a surface. This is followed by a series of enzymatic reactions that allow for the sequential additions of nucleotides, which are identified through a unique pattern of fluorescent signals. This method is highly parallelized, meaning many DNA fragments are sequenced simultaneously.
In contrast, 454 sequencing also begins with fragmenting DNA and attaching adapters, but instead of ligation, the fragments are then captured on beads and cloned in an emulsion PCR (emPCR). These beads are placed into wells of a sequencing plate, and as each nucleotide is added, a corresponding flash of light is detected to identify which base was incorporated. While both techniques are designed for high-throughput sequencing, their methodologies in amplifying and detecting the incorporation of nucleotides are distinct.