Making maps

Genome maps are like any other maps you've used: they help to show the position of specific locations in a landscape.

Not all genomes are mapped, but if you have a large genome to sequence, it helps to make a map first. Maps make it simpler to keep track of huge amounts of data: you make a rough map of the 'terrain' for each section of the area you want to sequence, and then split the sections into smaller and smaller bits to look at them in detail (without losing your place). A map also helps you to go back and determine where there are gaps in the sequence.