Why is sequencing useful?

DNA and RNA are molecules that are present in all living things. DNA contains an organism’s genetic code, the instructions for building and operating an organism. RNA carries instructions from the DNA code to control the synthesis of proteins – the building blocks of organisms.

Sequencing is the process of identifying the order of ‘bases’ — the molecules that make up DNA/RNA — to uncover a ‘sequence’ that makes up that organism. This sequence data can be used to understand more about its biology and physiology, its development, and how its genome interacts with the environment, thereby allowing us to make more informed choices about its conservation.