ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the main DNA methods that are in use today and their application to other species. Genome-wide association studies have been used in human genetics for several years to identify blocks of DNA with shared alleles, referred to as haplotypes, that are statistically associated with the risk for developing particular diseases. Sequencing by synthesis takes individual DNA molecules and copies them, adding labeled nucleotides into the “synthesized” strand. Traditional testing for pathogens can be time-consuming and require specialized laboratories. Human medicine is beginning to move towards DNA-based testing that can be completed more quickly and with higher precision. In veterinary medicine nanopore sequencing has been demonstrated as a tool to diagnose distemper virus and to monitor antibiotic resistance in a veterinary hospital. In humans, allelic differences in various drug metabolism genes can play a major role in selecting the correct medication and its dose.
