Sequencing

Genetic or DNA sequencing is a ground breaking technique within the field of genetics that has made it possible to map the human genome, or in simpler terms, all our hereditary information as encoded in our DNA. Genetic sequencing looks in greater depth at the actual formation of genes; genes are composed of nucleotides which are in turn composed of base pairs. There are four base pairs which are found on human DNA- adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine.

Sequencing involves locating the order and combination of these base pairs; quite a job, considering there are around 6 billion base pairs. Human biology is able to explain complex human phenomena and conditions thanks to genetic sequencing. Unlike DNA profiling which can only tell you from whom genetic material came from and whether there is a relationship between individuals, sequencing can help understand heredity in all its complexities including genetic disease. Though it is a term in genetics, sequencing involves engineers, scientists, geneticists, computational scientists and chemists.  Sequencing is still a field that requires much research and will continue to be a major field of research within the field of genetics.

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