What is a consensus sequence?

A consensus sequence is a way to represent the most common nucleotide or amino acid at each position in a DNA, RNA, or protein sequence. It is obtained by aligning multiple sequences and identifying the most frequently occurring base or amino acid at each position. The consensus sequence is often used to identify conserved regions in genetic sequences, which can provide clues about the function or importance of those regions in different organisms. Consensus sequences are also a useful tool for designing primers for PCR amplification, as they can help identify regions that are highly conserved across different organisms or strains. Overall, consensus sequences provide a valuable tool for analyzing and understanding genetic diversity and evolution.