A method of decoding an organism’s entire genome, or the sum of its hereditary information, is known as whole genome shotgun sequencing. Because processing it as a single unit of data is impractical, it is chopped into small chunks of data that can be sequenced and reassembled. Depending on the organism under investigation, this method can generate errors, but it can also be extremely fast, which may balance out the risk of errors. Genetics organizations collect and make available sequenced genomes from specific organisms for research and comparison.
The genetic material is first chopped up into units of information that can be processed in this process. Restriction enzymes, which cut through data strands, are one way to accomplish this. Another option is to mechanically separate the strands of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) into digestible chunks using equipment designed for this purpose. These can be inserted into vectors and replicated in bacteria colonies to create a DNA library with multiple copies of the information for sequencing.
The next step is to sequence these short data segments. They can be reassembled by looking for overlaps, where data from different strands matches up. There is some room for error in whole genome shotgun sequencing, as identical strands may be mixed up or an overlap may not be obvious. The whole genome shotgun method, on the other hand, is less time-consuming than other options, making it more practical in situations where rapid sequencing and immediate results are required.
This method can be used for a variety of purposes by researchers. They might be interested in generating sequences of multiple genomes for comparison, or in looking at the DNA of a specific organism to learn more about it. The name alludes to a shotgun’s broad and dispersed effect; whole genome shotgun sequencing provides rapid, broad coverage, even if it is slightly inaccurate.
Whole genome sequencing facilities can be found in a number of different locations around the world. Some companies concentrate on serving their own researchers and employees. Others charge a fee to process DNA and may provide whole genome shotgun sequencing. Customers must provide viable samples that meet the lab’s standards, and wait times vary according to workload and complexity. Humans, for example, have a genome that is extremely large and may take longer to process than a genome for an organism with far fewer gene pairs.