An Open Reading Frame (ORF) is a continuous sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that can potentially be translated into a protein. It starts with a start codon, usually AUG, and ends with a stop codon, such as UAA, UAG, or UGA. ORFs are important for identifying genes within a genome. Researchers use ORFs to predict the location of genes and understand the function of proteins. By analyzing ORFs, scientists can determine which sequences are likely to code for proteins, aiding in the study of genetics and molecular biology.