MinION, a portable device the size of a smart phone, can sequence human genomes with unparalleled precision. Published in Nature Biotechnology, the work of scientists at nine universities (Great Britain, United States and Canada) have developed a new sequencing technique, “nanopores – microscopic cavities through which DNA strands are passed. The electric variations produced by this passage can identify DNA components”.
The first sequencing of a human genome in 2003 took over ten years of work and cost approximately $3 billion. This technique can be used to assemble much longer sequences, thereby simplifying the overall process. It also “highlights parts of the genome which have never been seen before,” adds Matt Loose from Nottingham University, one of the authors of the study. The scientist also estimates that “we are nearing the point at which genome sequencing will become a routine part of the medical examination”.
Analysis of genetic heritage can facilitate certain diagnoses and provide guidance on treatment choice, especially in the case of cancer. Genome medicine can also “shed light on widespread diseases such as diabetes”.
AFP (29/01/2018)