Pyrosequencing
Pyrosequencing is a DNA sequencing technique that detects nucleotide incorporation in real-time by measuring light emission from enzymatic reactions. It relies on the release of pyrophosphate during DNA synthesis, which is converted into a detectable light signal through a series of enzymatic steps. This method is known for its accuracy, speed, and ability to sequence short to medium-length DNA fragments without the need for gel electrophoresis.
Developers should learn about pyrosequencing when working in bioinformatics, genomics, or biotechnology fields, as it is essential for applications like SNP genotyping, microbial identification, and methylation analysis. It is particularly useful for high-throughput sequencing projects requiring rapid and precise results, such as in clinical diagnostics or agricultural genomics. Understanding pyrosequencing enables integration with computational tools for data analysis and pipeline development.