What is DNA Sequencing and how can I do my DNA?
What is DNA sequencing?
According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks - called “bases” - that make up the DNA molecule. The sequence tells scientists the kind of genetic information that is carried in a particular DNA segment. In the DNA double helix, the four chemical bases always bond with the same partner to form “base pairs.” Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T); cytosine © always pairs with guanine (G).
This pairing is the basis for the mechanism by which DNA molecules are copied when cells divide, and the pairing also underlies the methods by which most DNA sequencing experiments are done.
The human genome contains about 3 billion base pairs that spell out the instructions for making and maintaining a human being.