Local Alignment

Local alignment is a method used in bioinformatics to identify the most similar region between two sequences, such as DNA, proteins, or texts. Instead of aligning entire sequences, it finds the best matching segment within each, allowing for differences outside that region. This approach helps detect conserved or shared features even if the sequences are mostly different. It’s useful for understanding functional, structural, or evolutionary relationships by pinpointing specific regions of similarity, highlighting where sequences align best within their longer structures.