Bioinformatics

What Is It?
Bioinformatics is defined as being the application of information technology and computer sciences to the fields of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics is a very broad field of science, and it's relatively new, but, in a nutshell, it is a type of database. It is mainly concerned with analyzing data like amino acid sequences and protein structures. Ultimately, the goal is a better understanding of biological processes by using all the collective data in the database and linking them all together to get a better picture of what exactly happening during these processes. In order to accomplish such a goal, many different softwares must be used to establish a database and more to link all the data together. Programs like Microsoft Excel, Java, and Python (a type of programming language) are commonly used to gather, store, and share information in a public database. Some softwares even allow the database to gather information online. media type="youtube" key="xODTm4a6nsM" width="425" height="350"

Tools Required
One type of popular software in bioinformatics is any free/open source software. What this means is that any researcher or research team has the ability to go in and edit, delete, or add any information in the database. This allows for every little contribution to the field of bioinformatics to be added and viewed, thus helping to push progress further along. Web services are also important. This allows one user on their own computer to access information, like algorithms, that are stored on another computer in another location. Once the needed algorithms are obtained, the user can create a workflow of all the gather algorithms, so that all selected data is put through the same mathematical process and analyzed in the same way.

Sequence Annalysis
The use of bioinformatics allows us to cross examine the DNA sequences of a multitude of organisms. Researchers can go in and locate sections of DNA that code for certain things, like proteins. Once a section of DNA is marked as being a protein, you can find the protein in other organisms and can now more accurately examine what it is that this particuar protein's function might be. Also, once we know what organisms have it and what don't, we begin to have a better idea as to how certain species are related (if they are at all).

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Summary
Unfortunately, bioinformatics is a very young area of science, and is still developing, so there's not a ton of information readily available. But basically: it's a database, a tool. What bioinformatics allows researchers to do is publish their research in an ever expanding system of information that will someday paint the picture of a new understanding of the biological world around us. It's going to take some time, but soon enough it's full potential will be discovered.

How much have you learned? Find out by clicking here.

Wonder where the information in the database comes from? media type="youtube" key="lCblncsE8wQ" width="296" height="245" align="center"

Work Cited: click here