Genetic sequencing involves the process of determining the order of the four building blocks of DNA, which are adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine. Since the 1970’s researchers have been studying DNA and genetic sequencing in more depth and also came the discovery of reverse transcription.
Reverse transcription occurs when a virus enters a cell and then uses the cell to replicate itself by reversing the normal process of replicating genetic material. Having been developed in the 1970’s and used extensively since then, this process has allowed scientists to learn more closely about the structure and characteristics of RNA, as well as being able to clone and sequence it. Although this process is an unreliable one, it is one that scientists have had to work with, until now.
A group of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have created a new enzyme called RTX that can produce transcriptions up to ten times more accurate than ever before. This new group of enzymes allows huge amounts of RNA data to be copied almost faultlessly. The team discovered this type of ‘proofreading’ is essential while copying the genetic code to eliminate errors and provide more accurate results.
Being backed by several large organizations, including NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, we are sure to see big changes coming our way as genetic sequencing moves towards being as easy to extract as someone’s pulse. This would also mean massive advancements in the field of healthcare as diagnosis’ could be made based on genomic information and would be far more accurate.
Press Release; The University of Texas at Austin
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