# The third generation of sequencing technologies The third generation of sequencing technologies has enabled the generation of long stretches of contiguous sequence information from a single molecule of DNA. This can be useful for resolving complex genomic structures and accurately assembling large genomes. Additionally, third-generation sequencing technologies may enable fast and cost-efficient applications, for example, in diagnostics. The common technologies are Single Molecule Real-Time (SMRT) sequencing by Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing. Watch the video below to understand how Nanopore sequencing works. {% embed url="" %} ## --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://edu.abi.am/ngs-data-analysis-and-functional-genomics/experimental-techniques/the-third-generation-of-sequencing-technologies.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.