Question

What is the specific function of the BLASTn program?

• A. Compare protein sequences
• B. Compare nucleotide sequences
• C. Predict protein structure
• D. Align protein structures

Hint:

BLASTn → Nucleotide vs Nucleotide comparison

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) is a widely used bioinformatics program that compares biological sequences with sequences stored in databases to identify similarities.
Step 1:Understanding BLAST programs.
Different versions of BLAST are used for different types of sequences:

• BLASTn – Nucleotide vs nucleotide comparison
• BLASTp – Protein vs protein comparison
• BLASTx – Translated nucleotide vs protein comparison
• tBLASTn – Protein vs translated nucleotide database

Step 2:Function of BLASTn.
BLASTn specifically compares a nucleotide query sequence (DNA or RNA) against a nucleotide database to identify regions of similarity.
Step 3:Applications of BLASTn.
BLASTn is commonly used for:

• Identifying homologous genes
• Detecting species similarity
• Finding conserved DNA regions
• Genome annotation

Conclusion:
Therefore, the primary function of BLASTn is to compare nucleotide sequences with nucleotide databases to find similar regions.