4.3 Sequence Alignments and BLAST

Sequence Alignments and BLAST (Module 4: The Bioinformatician's Toolkit). Key concept: Sequence similarity searches. Explain what a sequence alignment reveals that a single sequence cannot.

• Explain what a sequence alignment reveals that a single sequence cannot
• Interpret BLAST output: E-value, percent identity and query coverage
• Read a multiple sequence alignment for conserved and variable positions
• Explain the core insight: conservation marks constraint, and variability marks design freedom
• Predict whether a conserved position is constrained by structure or by function