Expressed sequence tag
short sub-sequence of a cDNA sequence
In genetics, an expressed sequence tag (EST) is a short sub-sequence of a cDNA sequence. ESTs may be used to identify gene transcripts, and were instrumental in gene discovery and in gene-sequence determination. The identification of ESTs has proceeded rapidly, with approximately 74.2 million ESTs now available in public databases (e.g. GenBank 1 January 2013, all species). EST approaches have largely been superseded by whole genome and transcriptome sequencing and metagenome sequencing.
An EST results from one-shot sequencing of a cloned cDNA. The cDNAs used for EST generation are typically individual clones from a cDNA library. The resulting sequence is a relatively low-quality fragment whose length is limited by current technology to approximately 500 to 800 nucleotides. Because these clones consist of DNA that is complementary to mRNA, the ESTs represent portions of expressed genes. They may be represented in databases as either cDNA/mRNA sequence or as the reverse complement of the mRNA, the template strand.
One can map ESTs to specific chromosome locations using physical mapping techniques, such as radiation hybrid mapping, HAPPY mapping, or FISH. Alternatively, if the genome of the organism that originated the EST has been sequenced, one can align the EST sequence to that genome using a computer.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Expressed sequence tag” is short sub-sequence of a cDNA sequence. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Expressed, sequence and short, not as a finished interpretation.
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This entry incorporates text from “Expressed sequence tag” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.