sequencedependent

Sequence-dependent, sometimes written as sequence-dependent or sequencedependent, describes a property or outcome that is determined by the order of elements within a sequence rather than by the mere presence or quantity of those elements. In practice, this means that two sequences with the same components but in different orders can produce different results. The term is used across disciplines to highlight the importance of arrangement and context.

In biology and biochemistry, sequence dependence is evident in how context surrounding a motif can alter binding, activity, and regulation. For example, transcription factor binding affinity and gene regulation can be influenced by the neighboring nucleotides around a binding site. Similarly, translation efficiency, protein folding, and splicing can depend on codon context, exon–intron order, and other sequence features. These effects mean that series of biological events are not fully predicted by composition alone.

In chemistry and materials science, sequence dependence applies to the order in which monomers are added during synthesis or assembly processes. The sequence can influence polymer architecture, crystallinity, and functional properties, giving rise to sequence-controlled polymers and materials with tailored characteristics. In self-assembly, the arrangement of units can determine the resulting morphologies and performance.

In computational and data contexts, the outcome of certain algorithms or processing pipelines can depend on the order of inputs, intermediate steps, or data representation. Studying sequence dependence often involves combining experimental data with modeling and information-theoretic measures to quantify the influence of order.

Overall, sequence dependence is a key consideration in design and analysis across science and engineering, reflecting how order shapes function beyond mere composition.