Sequencing

Gene or DNA sequencing is a way of determining the precise order of the DNA blocks. DNA is conventionally broken down into blocks; these blocks are made up of what are known as bases and always appear in pairs. There are four bases on the human DNA molecules- adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine. Adenine can only pair with thymine and guanine with cytosine. The reasons for this paring are complex and involve the formation of hydrogen bonds. What is more complicated is how scientists sequence something like 3 billion base pairs in the human genome. The research within this field is of immense advantage since it helps scientists understand the laws of heredity. DNA sequencing is far more complex than DNA profiling though the two fall under the same umbrella. Sequencing has been used in genetic testing to find the genes which are specifically responsible for diseases such as Alzheimer’s diseases and breast cancer. Sequencing will help doctors understand whether we are at risk of certain diseases. Research on the human genome is predicted to go on for several decades as human DNA is so complex.

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