What is the Difference Between cDNA and Genomic Library?

The main difference between cDNA and genomic libraries lies in the type of DNA fragments they contain and their representation of genes. Here are the key differences between cDNA and genomic libraries:

• cDNA Library:
• Contains complementary DNA (cDNA) clones synthesized from total mRNA of an organism.
• Represents genes that are actively expressed in a specific cell or tissue at a given point in time.
• Does not contain introns, as they are removed during the transcription process.
• Smaller in size compared to genomic libraries.
• Genomic Library:
• Consists of clones containing the entire genomic DNA of an organism, including noncoding (introns and regulatory) DNA.
• Represents all genes in the genome.
• Contains sequences for both introns and exons.
• Larger in size compared to cDNA libraries.

In summary, cDNA libraries are made up of cloned, reverse-transcribed mRNA and represent only the genes that are actively expressed, while genomic libraries contain the entire genomic DNA of an organism, including noncoding regions and all genes.

Comparative Table: cDNA vs Genomic Library

Here is a table that highlights the differences between cDNA and Genomic DNA libraries:

cDNA libraries are constituted by cloned, reverse-transcribed mRNA and represent only those genes of the genome that are expressed in a particular cell at a given time. On the other hand, genomic DNA libraries consist of large DNA fragments and represent all genes, including introns and exons.