Which method is commonly used in DNA sequencing?

The Sanger sequencing method, also known as the chain termination method, is one of the most widely used techniques for DNA sequencing. It was developed by Frederick Sanger in the 1970s and involves selectively incorporating chain-terminating dideoxynucleotides during DNA synthesis, which allows for the determination of the DNA sequence.

In this method, a single-stranded template DNA is mixed with a polymerase enzyme, normal deoxynucleotides (dNTPs), a small proportion of dideoxynucleotides (ddNTPs), and primers. As the DNA polymerase synthesizes new DNA, when a ddNTP is incorporated, it terminates synthesis for that strand. The result is a collection of DNA fragments of different lengths, each ending with a labeled ddNTP. These fragments can then be separated by capillary electrophoresis or gel electrophoresis, allowing researchers to read the sequence based on the terminating nucleotide.

This method is advantageous for its high level of accuracy and has been foundational in many genomic projects, making it a classic choice for sequencing DNA. Other methods, such as next-generation sequencing, also play significant roles in modern genomics but were developed later and differ in their