DNA sequencing

British  

noun

1. the procedure of determining the order of base pairs in a section of DNA

---

DNA sequencing Scientific  

1. The determination of the sequence of nucleotides in a sample of DNA.

---

DNA sequencing Cultural  

1. A process by which the sequence of nucleotides along a strand of DNA is determined. Originally a difficult process to carry out, DNA sequencing can now be done routinely by machines. The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2000 produced the largest DNA sequence ever assembled. To carry out the sequencing of the human genome, scientists cut the DNA up into short fragments, sequenced these fragments simultaneously, and then assembled the entire genome by using sophisticated computer techniques to match the fragments to each other.

---

Discover More

Many believe that knowledge of the human genome will lead to enormous advances in medicine. (Compare gene mapping and DNA fingerprinting.)

Example Sentences

"It's taken a lot of DNA sequencing to fully identify this fungus," he says, showing me dead moss under a microscope in a lab at Amgueddfa Cymru museum.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Using DNA sequencing on tissue samples originally collected for veterinary diagnostics, the study, published in Science, showed that several genetic patterns in feline cancers mirror those found in people.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2026

Because of their precision and control, scientists have adapted them as nanopore tools for biotechnology, such as in DNA sequencing and molecular sensing.

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

Originally excavated in 1981 from the grounds of St Giles' Cathedral, the remains have undergone new detailed analysis using advanced methods including ancient DNA sequencing, isotopic analysis and radiocarbon dating.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

Rare genetic diseases can now be detected in patients, and tumor-specific mutations identified -- a milestone made possible by DNA sequencing, which transformed biomedical research decades ago.

From Science Daily • Oct. 28, 2025