Whole Genome Security: Consumer Privacy in Medical Genetics
By Sophia Tabibian
In 1977, English biochemist, Fredrick Sanger, created the first full genome sequencing technique, mapping the complete arrangement of genes in a given genome. His method involved electrophoresis and chain-termination. DNA is made up of smaller units called nucleotides. Sanger used modified nucleotides called dideoxynucleotides (ddNTP), which bond to only a single end of nucleotides, breaking long strands of DNA into smaller pieces. He would run four separate reactions, each containing one of the a different types of ddNTP that would bond, and, in turn, cut the DNA at a specific spot. Then, he separated the products of these reactions by size on a special type of gel called polyacrylamide gel, which divides the reactions into four lanes. When the products are placed on...