LeselängenSequenzierung

Leselängen-Sequenzierung is a molecular biology technique used to determine the order of nucleotides within a DNA molecule. It is a fundamental process in genetics and has numerous applications in research and diagnostics. The term "Leselänge" refers to the length of the DNA fragment that can be read and sequenced in a single reaction. Historically, sequencing methods like Sanger sequencing produced relatively short reads, typically ranging from a few hundred to a thousand base pairs.

The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies revolutionized the field by enabling massively parallel sequencing of millions of DNA fragments simultaneously. These technologies, often referred to as high-throughput sequencing, have significantly reduced the cost and increased the speed of DNA sequencing. While initial NGS platforms also produced relatively short reads, advancements have led to the development of long-read sequencing technologies.

Long-read sequencing, such as that performed by Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) or Oxford Nanopore Technologies, can generate reads tens of thousands to millions of base pairs long. These longer reads offer several advantages over short reads. They can span repetitive regions of the genome more effectively, which are difficult to assemble with short reads. This is particularly important for resolving complex genomic structures, identifying structural variations, and phasing haplotypes. Furthermore, long reads can directly capture entire genes or regulatory elements, simplifying transcriptomic analysis and enabling the study of RNA modifications. The ability to obtain longer reads has opened new avenues for genomic research, including complete genome assembly, comprehensive analysis of transcriptomes, and improved detection of complex genetic alterations.