exome capture
A targeted enrichment technique that selectively isolates protein-coding sequences (exons) from genomic DNA prior to sequencing analysis.
Full Definition
Exome capture is a molecular technique used to enrich for the protein-coding regions of the genome, which comprise approximately 1-2% of the total genomic sequence but contain the majority of disease-causing mutations. The process uses biotinylated oligonucleotide probes complementary to exonic sequences to capture and concentrate these regions before sequencing. In cancer genomics, exome capture enables cost-effective analysis of clinically relevant mutations while reducing sequencing burden compared to whole genome approaches. Quality metrics for exome capture include on-target rate, uniformity of coverage, and capture efficiency across different GC content regions.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from panel sequencing in scope and methodology.
In Context
- "The exome capture achieved 95% on-target efficiency with uniform coverage across coding regions." — Laboratory quality report
- "Exome capture was chosen over whole genome sequencing to focus on actionable coding variants." — Clinical genomics protocol