Bioinformatics is largely, although not an exclusively computer based discipline. The use of computers is important for three fundamental reasons:
1. For comparison of a specific sequence with those of other sequences of the data base (already existing), the same function may have to be repeated a million times. A computer only can handle this function with accuracy within a short span of time.
2. Computers are known for their enormous problem solving power. A new DNA sequence is compared with any such similar or nearly similar sequence of the data base.
This homology could predict an evolutionary relationship. Similarly, the amino acid sequence of a protein may predict its structure and hence, its function. These problem solving functions can be handled by a computer.
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3. The data stored in a data base can be shared by many scientists working in different parts of the world through a computer network.