The genome is an organism's entire genetic content. It contains all the information that the body needs to grow, develop, and function. The content looks like a bunch of letters (A, T, G, and C) strung together. The human genome has about 3 billion pairs of these letters.

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) helps determine the exact order in which these letters are arranged. WGS is useful to find the genetic cause of various inherited disorders. It is also applied in research to isolate certain genetic types that increase the risk of developing a particular condition.