sequencingtechnologie

Sequencingtechnologie refers to the collection of methods and instruments used to determine the order of nucleotides in DNA or RNA. It enables reading genetic information and supports studies from single genes to whole genomes and complex communities. Since the 1970s, sequencing technologies have evolved from low-throughput, manual methods to high-throughput platforms that generate vast amounts of data in a single run.

Historically, Sanger sequencing established accurate readouts for individual DNA fragments but with limited scale. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) introduced massively parallel approaches, such as sequencing by synthesis, dramatically lowering the cost per base. More recently, third-generation methods like PacBio SMRT and nanopore sequencing offer long reads and real-time data, with different fidelity and throughput profiles suited to various applications.

Typical workflows include sample preparation and library construction, sequencing runs, and computational analysis. Key metrics are read length, throughput, accuracy, and cost per base. Data analysis spans base calling, alignment or assembly, and downstream tasks such as variant detection, transcript quantification, and metagenomic profiling.

Applications cover whole-genome and targeted sequencing, exome sequencing, transcriptomics, epigenomics, microbiology, and clinical diagnostics. The technology has accelerated research and enabled advances in precision medicine, agriculture, and biodiversity studies.

Challenges remain in data management, standardization, and error handling across platforms. Ongoing developments aim to extend read length, improve accuracy, reduce costs, and enable real-time, portable sequencing with streamlined analysis.