Explore the blog we’ve developed, including genomic education, genomic technologies, genomic advances, and genomics news & views.
What Is Sanger Sequencing? Sanger sequencing, also known as the “chain termination method,” was developed by the English biochemist Frederick Sanger and his colleagues in 1977. This method is designed for determining the sequence of nucleotide bases in a piece of DNA (commonly less than 1,000 bp in length). Sanger sequencing with 99.99% base accuracy […]
What Is mRNA? Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are single-stranded molecules in cells that transfer genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where proteins are synthesized (in the ribosomes). mRNAs are a group of RNAs that can be translated into proteins, while other RNAs cannot. Because nearly every function in the organisms is […]
What Is Sanger Sequencing? Sanger sequencing, also known as the “chain termination method” was developed by the British biochemist Frederick Sanger and his colleagues in 1977. This method is designed for determining the sequence of nucleotide bases in a piece of DNA (commonly less than 1,000 bp in length). Sanger sequencing with 99.99% base accuracy […]
Amplicons Definition In molecular biology, amplicons represent DNA or RNA fragments that are the source and/or product of amplification or replication events. They can be naturally formed through gene duplication. Natural gene duplication plays a crucial role in genomic evolution. In this context, an amplicon refers to a section of chromosomal DNA that has been […]
What Is Chloroplast Chloroplasts, cellular organelles also referred to as plastids, are present in plant cells and certain protozoa such as algae and cyanobacteria. They serve as the site for the synthesis of proteins encoded by chloroplast DNA and play a pivotal role in photosynthesis. Indeed, chloroplasts act as the cell’s food producers, converting solar […]
Mitochondria are recognized as the powerhouse of the cell since they help convert oxygen and nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. Mitochondria are small organelles (usually 0.75~3 micrometers), found in nearly all types of human cells except mature red blood cells, as well as cells of other eukaryotes (such as […]
What is a plasmid? Plasmids are the small circular or linear double-stranded DNA molecules (ranging from a few to several hundred kilobases) found in bacterial cells but also present naturally in archeae and eukaryotes. The plasmids are not packaged inside a chromosome, and have no distinct 5’ or 3’ beginning or end. They can autonomously […]
What is a DNA Microarray? Microarray is a common laboratory tool for detecting gene expression or gene mutations in a high throughput manner. These slides are also known as gene chips or DNA chips. Thousands of probes (with known identity) are immobilized on a microscope slides or silicon chips or nylon membrane, with thousands of […]
Not all genes are active at all times. DNA methylation is a common epigenetic modification used by cells to regulate gene expression. In recent decades, researchers have discovered that methylation is involved in many cellular processes, including genomic imprinting, embryonic development, gene suppression, carcinogenesis, X-chromosome inactivation, and preservation of chromosome stability. And abnormal DNA methylation […]