BACKGROUND AND QUESTION
Nanopore technology (ONT) is a third-generation sequencing technology becoming increasingly competitive in the sequencing market. Following Sanger and NGS sequencing methods, which rely on fragmentation and subsequent amplification to read DNA, third-generation sequencing technologies sequence a single DNA molecule directly.
Background
Autoimmune conditions occur when one’s immune system starts recognizing their own body’s cells as foreign and begins attacking these healthy cells [14]. The exact reason behind autoimmune conditions is unknown, but it is thought to be a mix of both environmental and genetic factors. The genetic factors to most autoimmune conditions are poorly understood, as most autoimmune conditions are thought to be polygenic diseases, with their genetic susceptibilities being theorized to be different combinations of hundreds or thousands of alleles [2].
BACKGROUND
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are seven transmembrane receptors that couple with Gproteins on activation by external stimuli to trigger intracellular signaling cascades [1]. GPCRs comprise the largest family of membrane receptors that are prominent drug targets (35% of all approved drugs exploit GPCR signal transduction) [2]. GPCRs are thus clinically relevant targets for the development of new as well as repurposed drugs.