Did you know that DNA, the genetic code found in all living beings, functions much like the computer codes used to build software applications?

Just as thousands to millions of lines of code are needed to generate visuals and process commands in digital systems, DNA contains the instructions that govern traits such as our hair, eye colour, height, and appearance.

This genetic code determines the unique facial and physical features that distinguish us from our siblings and friends.

There are four types of DNA bases: A (adenine), T (thymine), G (guanine), and C (cytosine).

By combining and mixing these four different DNA ‘letters’, we can generate specific stretches of code called genes to do certain things.

These genes are akin to the various gaming and social media apps we use; they serve specific purposes.

For example, genes encode proteins that protect against disease and support the immune system.

Without them, we would be fragile and without much internal defence within our bodies. In other instances, such as in plants, different flower colours are also caused by various pigments being made and processed by proteins encoded by their genes.

Many other biological processes involve genes and their encoded proteins.

These genes are known to be expressed (or activated) in response to tissue type and conditions, and even at specific times during harmful bacterial and viral invasions.

Humans have approximately 30,000 genes, while other plant species have much higher numbers than that.

Can we imagine having 30,000 apps on our phones, each doing different jobs? It must not be very clear. Each living cell knows which genes to activate in different situations.

But the first question is: can we read and identify all these genes to understand what they do?

This answer is important because understanding the genetic code may help us identify and treat certain genetic diseases, such as sickle cell anaemia (a defect in red blood cells) and cancers caused by gene mutations.

We may also be able to select better-yielding crops, such as rice, to feed the world if we know their genetic codes.

However, reading the genetic code is very challenging. It is the size of a nanometer, so small that you must slice your hair 40,000 times to reach this scale! It is smaller than viruses and bacteria and cannot be seen even with a microscope!

Therefore, scientists developed a sensitive, high-throughput instrument to read DNA codes.

We call this DNA sequencing technology. This technology reads DNA by assigning discrete colours to the letters (A, T, G, or C).

Imagine having four different coloured light bulbs in front of us, lighting up every time a particular DNA ‘letter’ is detected.

The machine then records the colour changes and builds a long, stretched DNA sequence.

We can assemble the 30,000 genes from our 3 billion DNA base pairs using such technology.

This technology allows us to pinpoint the exact locations of genetic mutations that lead to diseases.

Scientists are now developing a precise technique to fix these DNA mistakes, which may one day hold the key to curing millions of patients worldwide.

Also, understanding genetic codes through sequencing technology has enabled us to learn how some of the world’s most notorious viruses, such as the coronavirus, cause COVID-19.

We now know that a gene that encodes the spike protein is responsible for viral infection. Targeting this component is now one of the best strategies researchers use to develop vaccines and drugs to control the disease.

In Malaysia, we are also actively researching the genetic codes of humans and microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, plants, and animals.

Several institutions, such as the Institute of Systems Biology (INBIOSIS), UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI) and Malaysian Genome Institute (MGI), are working closely to unravel some of the world’s most important questions, ranging from human diseases to precision agriculture.

While I might not see any living dinosaurs or Spider-Man on the street soon, sequencing technology has opened new avenues in the biological and medical sciences, helping to gear the nation towards prosperity and high-tech advancement.