title: Methods in molecular cardiology: DNA sequencing.
abstract: Sequencing is one the major breakthroughs in molecular cardiology. The development of this technique has made it possible to determine the exact order of the nucleotides in DNA. The exact order is relevant for the formation of proteins, through the genetic code. Sequencing is even more important for the identification of genetic variation and disease-causing mutations. The elucidation of the human genome is based on the continuous improvement of this technique, reducing the cost and increasing efficiency. Initially, complex chemical reactions were performed using isotopes to unravel the base sequence in genes. Nowadays, fluorescent capillary-based techniques are available to determine the genetic information. Here, the historical development of the technique is described. In addition, examples are provided on how sequencing is used in clinical medicine.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: de Theije
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: de Windt
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Doevendans
keywords: DNA sequencing; genome; mutation