Does "take up entire lab benches" mean "use all manpower in the lab"?

[NewHopeR]

Does "take up entire lab benches" mean "use all manpower in the lab"?


In addition, does "generate a genome" refer to "generate the complete data about a genome?"

Context:

Genome Sequencing [h=1]Search for Pore-fection[/h]
Oxford Nanopore Technologies is set to achieve the first commercialization of a long-awaited and oft-doubted technology called nanopore sequencing. The technology, based on protein pores so tiny that 25,000 of them can fit on the cross section of a human hair, could be the next big thing in genome sequencing and analysis. Although they've gotten much cheaper and smaller in recent years, machines that read DNA and RNA still usually cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, take up entire lab benches, and require much upfront and postsequencing processing to generate a genome. Nanopore sequencing could change all that. But some scientists say many technical hurdles remain to be overcome before nanopore devices produce actual sequence data.

 

[FreeToyInside]

Re: Does "take up entire lab benches" mean "use all manpower in the lab"?

No, it's describing the size of the machines that read DNA.
to take up + a location, means to occupy or fill up a space entirely. Examples:

"That bookstore takes up a whole city block."
"The boxes took up the entire backseat of my car."
"My couch is huge, it takes up half my living room."

So if the machines take up entire lab benches, they're essentially as big as one of the benches.

to generate a genome: To produce a genome, to duplicate or reproduce a genome. It's talking about the amount of processing involved for the machines to duplicate the DNA that makes up (something's) complete set of chromosomes.


(not a teacher, just a language lover)

 

[NewHopeR]

Re: Does "take up entire lab benches" mean "use all manpower in the lab"?

No, it's describing the size of the machines that read DNA.
to take up + a location, means to occupy or fill up a space entirely. Examples:

"That bookstore takes up a whole city block."
"The boxes took up the entire backseat of my car."
"My couch is huge, it takes up half my living room."

So if the machines take up entire lab benches, they're essentially as big as one of the benches.

to generate a genome: To produce a genome, to duplicate or reproduce a genome. It's talking about the amount of processing involved for the machines to duplicate the DNA that makes up (something's) complete set of chromosomes.


(not a teacher, just a language lover)

Thank you.
I've got "take up...", but still confusing at "generate a genome". Because the machines are used for sequencing genomes, not to generate it:
"...machines that read DNA and RNA still usually cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, take up entire lab benches, and require much upfront and postsequencing processing to generate a genome."
A Human genome is TOO COMPLICAED for any current technology to generate it. Do you remember the global Human Genome Project led by Francis S. Collins, the author of The Language of God? His global team spent a decade to completely read a Human genome. No way can they or any team else invent a machine to generate a Human genome. Craig Venter is the first one in the scientific community to create the first simplest non-animal cell with a synthetic genome in 2010, which in fact borrowed the components of a Nature-made bacteria.

 

[FreeToyInside]

Re: Does "take up entire lab benches" mean "use all manpower in the lab"?

Ah, I thought that sounded a bit far off for us.

But then it is strange they say "to generate a genome." There's no debate on what a genome is, but if the meaning here is to analyze it, sequence it, study it, "to generate" is not a synonym. From dictionary.com :

Generate
verb (used with object) 1. to bring into existence; cause to be; produce.
2. to create by a vital or natural process.
3. to create and distribute vitally and profusely: He generates ideas that we all should consider. A good diplomat generates good will.
4. to reproduce; procreate.
5. to produce by a chemical process.

The only thing I can think of is if their computer wanted to make a complete map of it, you could say "generate an image of each chromosome" or something like that.

(not a teacher, just a language lover)