Answer: The genomic revolution depends a lot on the use of genetic libraries. In simple words, a genetic library is a collection of DNA molecules that carry the information needed for DNA replication inside a living organism.
These DNA molecules may contain parts from a complete genome (in genomic libraries) or from a set of mRNA molecules taken from specific cells or tissues (in cDNA libraries). This means the library can have a wide variety of genetic material, either from the whole DNA of an organism or just from the genes that are currently active in a cell.
Complete Answer:
The two main types of genetic libraries are c-DNA (or complementary DNA) libraries and genomic libraries. The following table lists the primary distinctions between the two of them:
| Genomic libraries | cDNA libraries |
| A genomic library is a collection of DNA fragments that together make up the organism’s whole genome. | However, a c-DNA library is a collection of c-DNAs that are made by removing m-RNA from the organism’s cell and then reverse-transcriptional PCR (RT-PCR) to produce c-DNA that is cloned into appropriate vectors. |
| Since a genomic library is a collection of complete genomes, it includes both coding (exons) and non-coding (introns) parts. | A c-DNA library is made from m-RNA, it lacks regulatory genes and introns. As a result, only coding sections are present in a c-DNA library. |
| A genomic library is usually large in size because it contains the entire DNA of an organism, including both coding and non-coding regions. | A cDNA library is smaller in size because it contains only the coding regions (exons) of genes that are actively expressed in a specific cell or tissue |
| A genomic library can be made using different types of cloning vectors such as plasmids, cosmids, lambda phages, BACs (Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes), and YACs (Yeast Artificial Chromosomes), depending on the size of the DNA fragments. | cDNA libraries are usually made using vectors like plasmids, phagemids (phasmids), and lambda phages, which are suitable for carrying smaller DNA fragments that represent only the expressed genes. |
Concussion: Genomic libraries are frequently used for sequencing. They played a significant role in the sequencing of many animals’ whole genomes, including the human genome and several model species. Important genes are provided by many gene libraries for cloning research in genetic engineering to create better methods of improving expression and production, such as raising crop productivity.
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