DNA sequencing - the Sanger method

Watch or download our animation on the most commonly used method of sequencing DNA - the dideoxy or chain termination method - which was developed by Fred Sanger in 1977 (for which he won his second Nobel Prize).

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In this method, the DNA is used as a template to generate a set of fragments that differ in length from each other by a single base. The fragments are then separated by size, and the bases at the end are identified, recreating the original sequence of the DNA.

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