Quick Summary

Nullomers are short DNA sequences (13-17 base pairs) that are absent from the human genome (1-3). We have also shown that these sequences could be used as DNA ‘fingerprints’ to identify specific human populations (3). As nullomers do not exist in a human genome, their appearance due to mutagenesis followed by clonal expansion could be exploited as a diagnostic method for diseases associated with a mutational burden, such as cancer.