Knowra Sequence analysis (bioinformatics) Sequence analysis (bioinformatics) Sequence analysis uses computational methods to study DNA, RNA, and protein sequences, identifying features, functions, relationships, and evolutionary history.
Sequence alignment : A computational arrangement of biological sequences that highlights matching and differing positions. Alignments expose conserved positions and substitutions used to infer similarity and function.
DNA : A molecule that stores hereditary information in most organisms, using sequences of four nucleotide types. DNA sequences are a primary input, and their nucleotide order carries genetic information.
Gene prediction : The computational identification of genes and their boundaries in genomic DNA. Recognizing coding regions is a basic route from genome sequence to biological interpretation.
Pairwise sequence alignment : The comparison of two biological sequences to identify matching, substituted, inserted, and deleted positions. It is the focused form of alignment used for direct sequence-to-sequence comparisons.
Sequence homology : A relationship in which biological sequences share ancestry, rather than merely resembling one another. Similarity scores support homology hypotheses but do not by themselves prove common ancestry.
Dynamic programming : An algorithmic method that solves complex problems by combining solutions to smaller overlapping subproblems. It makes optimal pairwise sequence alignment practical by reusing scores for shorter sequence segments.
RNA : A nucleic acid whose nucleotide sequence can encode information, regulate genes, or help catalyze reactions. RNA sequences require methods that account for both their letters and their folded structures.
Functional annotation : The assignment of biological roles or properties to genes, proteins, and other genomic features. Sequence similarity and conserved domains provide evidence for assigning likely functions.
Multiple sequence alignment : The alignment of three or more biological sequences to reveal shared patterns and variation. It identifies conserved regions across a family rather than between only two sequences.
Orthology and paralogy : The distinction between homologous genes separated by speciation and those separated by gene duplication. Related sequences can have different evolutionary histories and functions depending on this distinction.
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