The Technology Tug-of-War: Microarray Genotyping vs. Next-Generation Sequencing in the Ancestry Testing Market
Description: A detailed comparison of the two leading technologies for analyzing DNA—Microarray SNP Genotyping and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)—and how their respective costs and data richness impact the market.
The technology underpinning the current Ancestry Testing Market is primarily Microarray SNP Genotyping. This method involves analyzing hundreds of thousands of pre-selected locations in the genome called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). This technology is highly scalable and cost-effective; once a chip is designed, the cost of processing each individual test is low, which is the key reason companies like AncestryDNA and 23andMe have been able to offer kits at consumer-friendly prices. SNP data is highly effective for comparison and matching within their existing databases.
The emerging technology that represents the next phase of the Ancestry Testing Market is Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), or whole-genome/whole-exome sequencing. NGS reads DNA much more broadly, providing a complete or near-complete sequence of an individual's genome. While currently more expensive and complex than SNP genotyping, NGS yields vastly richer data, including rare variants and structural changes missed by microarrays. This data is invaluable for combined ancestry and clinical health applications, pushing the market towards personalized medicine.
The current competitive dynamic sees Microarray SNP Genotyping dominating the volume and revenue of the Ancestry Testing Market due to its low price point. However, as the cost of NGS continues its historic decline—a trend known as the Moore's Law of genomics—it is expected to gain significant traction. Hybrid models, where SNP data is imputed to estimate full-genome information, are a stepping stone. Ultimately, the future of the Ancestry Testing Market depends on NGS becoming the affordable standard, providing a richer, more actionable set of genetic insights.
FAQs
What is the current dominant technology in the Ancestry Testing Market and why? Microarray SNP Genotyping is dominant because it is highly cost-effective and scalable, enabling companies to offer kits at a low price point.
How does Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) differ from SNP genotyping? NGS provides a much more comprehensive reading of the entire genome (or large portions of it), whereas SNP genotyping only looks at hundreds of thousands of pre-selected genetic locations.