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structural genomics
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structural genomics

genetics
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Quick Summary

Genomics is the study of entire genomes, made possible by recombinant DNA technology. It allows for the broad-scale analysis of an organism's complete set of genes and their interactions. This field has two main subdivisions: structural genomics and functional genomics.

Structural genomics focuses on determining the complete nucleotide sequence of a genome. This involves physically manipulating DNA clones and using automated sequencing machines to generate vast amounts of data. Computers then assemble this data into a complete chromosomal sequence, identifying potential genes (open reading frames or ORFs) and comparing them to known genes in other organisms to infer function.

Functional genomics aims to understand gene function at the genomic level, identifying the entire set of proteins produced by an organism (the proteome) and assessing function across different developmental stages by analyzing the transcriptome (the set of mRNA transcripts). Bioinformatics plays a crucial role in analyzing this large-scale genomic information.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. recombinant DNA - Genomics
  2. genetics - Genomics

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