Final answer:
Primers are shortened by one nucleotide in each cycle during SOLiD sequencing to ensure accurate and efficient DNA sequencing.
Step-by-step explanation:
During SOLiD sequencing, primers are shortened by one nucleotide in each cycle to ensure accurate and efficient DNA sequencing. This is necessary because the sequencing process involves repeated cycles of DNA synthesis.
Each cycle starts with the annealing of primers to the template DNA strands. The primer provides a starting point for DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase. By shortening the primers in each cycle, only one new nucleotide is added to the DNA strand, which helps maintain the integrity of the DNA sequence and improves the accuracy of the sequencing.