About Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES):
- WES is the approach used to sequence only the protein-coding regions of the human genome.
- These protein-coding regions within the genome are known as exons, and they make up less than 2% of our entire genome, but they are very important because they contain about 85% of the genetic variants linked to different diseases.
- Together, all the exons in a genome are known as the exome.
- WES focuses on the exome and provides a more targeted approach compared to whole-genome sequencing (WGS), which sequences the entire genome, including non-coding regions.
- Since most disease-related mutations are found in the exome, this makes WES an effective tool for diagnosing genetic conditions and understanding disease mechanisms.
- WES is a faster and cost-effective alternative to WGS. It also simplifies the data analysis
- WES is especially useful in research and clinical settings to identify both common and rare genetic variants.
