This genomic technique isolates and analyzes specific regions of the genome, like genes associated with a particular disease, rather than sequencing the entire genome. For instance, it can be used to focus solely on the exons, the protein-coding regions, within a sample. This focused approach provides higher coverage and depth of sequencing for the selected regions, enabling researchers to detect rare variants and subtle changes that might be missed with whole-genome sequencing.
Enabling researchers to focus resources on specific genetic areas offers significant advantages. It reduces sequencing costs and computational burden, allowing for more efficient analysis and faster turnaround times. Furthermore, the higher depth of sequencing in targeted regions improves the sensitivity and accuracy of variant detection, which is particularly beneficial for clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine. This method has become an indispensable tool in genomics research and clinical practice since its emergence alongside the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies.
