Revisiting mutagenesis in the age of high-throughput sequencing

Abstract

Mutagenesis is a fundamental biological process by which changes in DNA sequences occur in vivo. On one hand, mutagenesis facilitates adaptation and drives evolution, and on the other hand it leads to diseases such as cancer. Recent advances in high-throughput DNA-sequencing technologies, coupled with efficient bioinformatics tools, have allowed analyses of genomic data at an unprecedented scale. These emerging sequencing technologies have not only helped speed up genome analyses; they have also provided novel insights into mutagenesis and its implications for evolution, diseases, and biotechnology. The versatility of these technologies has initiated a new paradigm of biological research in diverse areas of research such as microbiology, evolutionary biology, human genetics and cancer.