Graph Algorithms for Genome Assembly: Non-Branching Paths

Reassembling a genome from millions of short DNA fragments is one of the most significant computational challenges in modern biology. To solve this puzzle, bioinformaticians rely on elegant graph structures and specialized algorithms to reconstruct the original sequence. This text-based course guides you through the fundamental graph theory concepts behind genome assembly, focusing on how to identify and extract maximal non-branching paths to simplify complex sequence graphs. In this course, you will: 1. Understand the core concepts of graph theory in bioinformatics, including directed graphs, in-degrees, and out-degrees. 2. Trace Eulerian and Hamiltonian paths to see how they model the reconstruction of genetic sequences. 3. Identify branching and non-branching nodes within a de Bruijn graph to isolate contiguous sequence fragments. 4. Implement algorithms to find and output all maximal non-branching paths using clear pseudocode. 5. Resolve sequence assembly ambiguities caused by genomic repeats using modern graph-simplification strategies. You will begin by mastering essential terminology and foundational definitions before progressing through step-by-step algorithmic logic and written walk-throughs. This course is designed for beginners in bioinformatics, computer science, or biology with no advanced prerequisites. Start reading today to unlock the algorithmic secrets of genomic sequencing.