Australian and American scientists have discovered a new faster and cheaper hybrid method of genomic sequencing. The new approach of hybrid sequencing is able to sequence genes and produce better quality genetic information at up to 100 times faster than the old technology. The technology of genomic sequencing advanced rapidly during the 1970’s, and modern methods and technologies have made the process of gene sequencing faster and faster, allowing for large scale DNA sequencing projects, such as the Human Genome Project to be undertaken.
The new method is called ‘454 pyrosequencing’, and uses real time light-based observation of gene synthesis. Pyrosequencing is based on the detection of pyrophosphate release on nucleotide incorporation. It is more adept at sequencing smaller segments of genomes, but is able to handle unclonable and other difficult regions better than previous methods that have been available. The older method, known as ‘Sanger' sequencing (named after Frederick Sanger, its developer) is a chain-terminator method and employs the use of dideoxynucleotide triphosphates. The Sanger method is very effective when determining large segments of genomes, therefore when using both methods in a hybrid approach, a better result is achieved as opposed to using either one method or the other.
References
Science Daily. (2006) New Tool Cracks Genomic Code Quicker Than Ever. (Internet). Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 06/07/060715103756.htm (Accessed 24 April 2009).
Science Daily (2008) Faster, Cheaper Way of Analyzing the Human Genome Developed. (Internet) Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/ 2008/09/080914182547.htm (Accessed 24 April 2009)
Science Daily (2007) DNA Sequencing Becomes Much Quicker. (Internet) Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071015093528.htm (Accessed 24 April 2009)
Image Source: http://www.nature.com/nprot/journal/v1/n6/images/nprot.2006.442-F2.jpg
Andrea Tweedie
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