Only 10 years ago, to sequence the entire human genome roughly cost at the price of $300,000 US. So even now at $1000, sounds like a good deal and for it to drop further in price in the next coming years is astounding. The issue lies that the machine cost is still high at around $1 million.
Historically there hasn’t been that many sequenced genomes only until now. Two years ago, there was only 70,000 genomes were process and now today, over 500,000. The increases number is probably because of the low price as compared to a decade ago.
The first sequencer came out in the early 70s using chromatography knowledge. Nowadays there are many other players and companies providing DNA technology and many can be purchased.
Many are used in research for humans as well as animals such as the following:
• Meta-genomics
• Medicine
• Biology (molecular and evolutionary)
• Forensics
One example is looking at animal scats to provide information on migration, population health and how one group relates to another group.
A little background on DNA
Friedrich Miescher was the first discovered it in the year 1869. He also isolated the DNA which was a first as well. After this period, further research into DNA remain stagnant until after World War II. The major discovery during that time in 1944 was they were able to change the strain of DNA bacteria into something else.Along came the 50s, where both Crick and Watson displayed and push a new model of DNA called the double helix. In this model, picture 2 straws well together that have are linked by bonds of hydrogen. Later in the 50s, the foundation of using such a technology to sequence proteins was finally discovered by Sanger. He was able to sequence amino acids, a protein, found in insulin which is secreted by our pancreas
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