PPT Slide
The simultaneous alignment of a number of DNA or protein sequences is one of the commonest tasks in bioinformatics.
Some uses of multiple alignment:
phylogenetic analysis (inferring a tree, estimating rates of substitution, etc.)
detection of homology between a newly sequenced gene and an existing gene family
prediction of protein structure
demonstration of homology in multi-gene families
determination of a consensus sequence (e.g., in assembly)