Methods to determine the sequence of DNA were developed in the late 1970s (1,2) and have revolutionized the science of molecular
genetics. The DNA sequences of many different genes from diverse
sources have been determined, and the information is stored in interna-
tional databanks such as EMBL, GenBank, and DDBJ. Many scientists
now accept that sequence analysis will provide an increasingly use-
ful approach to the characterization of biological systems. Projects are
already underway to map and sequence the entire genome of organisms
such as Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Caenorhabditis
elegans, and Homo sapiens. In the recent past, large-scale sequenc-
ing projects such as these were often dismissed as prohibitively expen-
sive and of little short-term benefit, while DNA sequencing itself was
seen as a repetitive and unintellectual pursuit. However, this view is
now changing and most scientists recognize the importance of DNA
sequence data and perceive DNA sequencing as a valuable and often
indispensable aspect of their work. Recent technological advances,
especially in the area of automated sequencing, have removed much
of the drudgery that used to be associated with the technique, and
modern innovative computer software has greatly simplified the analy-
sis and manipulation of sequence data.