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Sequence alignment refers to a bioinformatics methodology that employs computational algorithms
to compare the similarities and differences of nucleotides or amino acid residues within the
primary structures of two or more nucleic acid or protein sequences. One principal objective of
investigating sequence similarity is to infer similar structures or analogous biological functions
based on sequence resemblance. Another objective is to assess sequence homology and, consequently,
to infer the relationships, functions, and evolutionary changes among the compared sequences.
- Do most proteins show cross-species activity?
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Species cross-reactivity must be investigated individually for each product. Many human
cytokines will respond well in mouse cell lines, and many mouse proteins will show activity
on human cells. Other proteins may have lower specific activity when used in the opposite species.