What is cycle sequencing?

Cycle sequencing is a method used to determine the nucleotide sequence of DNA by incorporating labeled nucleotides during a series of amplification cycles. In this technique, DNA polymerase synthesizes new DNA strands by adding fluorescently or radioactively labeled dideoxynucleotides, which terminate the elongation process. As the reaction progresses, fragments of varying lengths are produced, each ending at a specific nucleotide. The resulting mixture is then analyzed using capillary electrophoresis or gel electrophoresis to read the sequence of the DNA.