Minister Inaugurates Pashmina Certification and Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facilities at Wildlife Institute of India (WII) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Minister Inaugurates Pashmina Certification and Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facilities at Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

Posted 23 Dec 2024

2 min read

The facility will bolster study of genetic adaptation to climate change, pathogen-host interactions, and the development of conservation strategies for endangered species such as tigers, elephants, riverine dolphins, etc.

About Next Generation DNA Sequencing

  • DNA Sequencing: It involves determining the exact order of Nucleotides (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine) in a DNA molecule.
    • The sequence tells scientists the kind of genetic information that is carried in a particular DNA segment.
  • Next-generation sequencing (NGS): A modern method of analyzing genetic material that can rapidly sequence large amounts of DNA or RNA. 
  • Benefit: NGS can sequence an entire genome within days, compared to months with earlier techniques.

Key NGS applications in various fields

  • Microbiology: Helps in pathogen identification, outbreak tracking, and studying antimicrobial resistance by sequencing the genomes of bacteria, viruses, etc.
  • Medical Research & Gene Therapy: Identify cancer types, replace defective genes for inherited diseases and control systems for precision drug delivery.
  • Wildlife conservation: NGS enables assessment of population genetic health, diversity, evolutionary histories, disease surveillance, illegal trade detection, and climate-induced biodiversity impacts.
  • Agriculture: Sequence crop genomes to enhance drought resistance & analyze pests’ DNA to develop eco-friendly pest control methods.

Pashmina

  • Pashmina, derived from Changthangi goats of Ladakh, received its GI tag in 2019. 
  • It’s an ultra-fine cashmere wool (12-16 microns) undergoes traditional hand-spinning and weaving. 
  • The Pashmina Testing and Quality Certification Centre in Srinagar ensures authenticity and maintains quality standards through rigorous testing protocols.
  • Tags :
  • Genome Sequencing
  • Genome India Project
  • Next Generation Sequencing
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