Which statement best describes how Sanger sequencing differs from next generation sequencing (NGS)?

• A. Sanger sequencing is faster and higher throughput than NGS.
• B. Sanger sequencing cannot achieve high accuracy.
• C. Sanger sequencing is targeted and uses capillary electrophoresis; NGS sequences many regions in parallel to enable large panels.
• D. NGS cannot sequence small targeted regions.

Answer: (C)

Sanger sequencing is a targeted method that sequences a single DNA fragment at a time using chain-terminating dideoxynucleotides and capillary electrophoresis to separate fragments by size and read the sequence. Next-generation sequencing, on the other hand, performs massively parallel sequencing, reading millions of fragments simultaneously to cover large regions such as gene panels, exomes, or entire genomes. This fundamental difference in throughput and workflow is what sets them apart: Sanger provides precise reads for small, specific regions with a capillary-based readout, while NGS enables large-scale, parallel sequencing of many regions at once.

That’s why the statement describing Sanger as targeted and capillary-based, and NGS as parallel sequencing that enables large panels, is the best description.