Pairwise sequence alignment

Pairwise sequence alignment for DNA is a computational method to identify regions of similarity between two DNA sequences. This process is essential in bioinformatics for various purposes, such as identifying functional, structural, or evolutionary relationships between sequences. By aligning sequences, scientists can infer how closely related two DNA sequences are, predict the function of unknown genes, identify conserved sequences among different organisms, and much more.

The alignment process involves arranging the sequences to identify regions of similarity and differences. It is executed by introducing gaps (-) in the sequences to maximize the alignment between matching characters (nucleotides: A, T, C, G) while minimizing mismatches and gaps. The goal is to achieve the highest possible level of similarity, quantified by a score calculated based on a scoring system. This system assigns scores for matches, mismatches, and gaps.