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Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is the process of determining the entire DNA sequence of an organism’s genome at a specific point in time. An entire genome is defined by chromosomal DNA as well as the DNA in an organism’s cellular organelles such as its mitochondrial DNA. And in plants, the entire DNA sequence of the organism would also include the DNA sequence in its chloroplasts.

WGS provides the highest resolution of all the sequencing approaches due to its comprehensiveness. Therefore, WGS enables the identification of all types of sequence variations. From very small or single nucleotide variations between genomes to variants found in non-coding sequence regions that would be otherwise be missed by more targeted sequencing methods, such as only sequencing the organism’s exome DNA.

RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is the process of determining the quantity and the nucleotide sequences of individual RNA sequences in a transcriptome. The transcriptome includes all transcribed RNA including but not limited to mRNA, rRNA, 
and tRNA within a given sample prepared for sequencing at a specific condition and point in time.

RNA-Seq also allows us to understand gene expression levels at the single-cell level, individual cells in multi-cellular contexts, and host-pathogen interactions, amongst many others.

Targeted sequencing is a rapid and cost-effective way to detect known and novel variants in selected sets of genes or genomic regions because the approach entails sequencing only part of a whole genome or regions of interest without sequencing the entire genome of a sample.

This is accomplished through a pre-sequencing DNA preparation step called Target Enrichment where target DNA sequences are either directly amplified (amplicon or multiplex PCR-based) or captured (hybrid capture-based) and then subsequently sequenced.