DNA sequencing

DNA sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. The advent of rapid DNA sequencing methods has greatly accelerated biological and medical research and discovery.

History

The first DNA sequences were obtained in the early 1970s by academic researchers using laborious methods based on two-dimensional chromatography. Following the development of fluorescence-based sequencing methods with a more automated and much higher throughput, DNA sequencing has become a common method in biological research and medical testing.

Methods

There are several methods of DNA sequencing: the chain termination methods, the chemical method, and the pyrosequencing method. The most frequently used method today is called the dideoxy method or Sanger method, developed by Frederick Sanger in 1977.

Applications

DNA sequencing may be used to determine the sequence of individual genes, larger genetic regions (i.e., clusters of genes or operons), full chromosomes, or entire genomes. DNA sequencing is also the most efficient way to sequence RNA or proteins, via their conversion to cDNA.

See also

• Genomics
• Human Genome Project
• Next-generation sequencing

References

DNA sequencing Resources
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