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| Genomics |
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| Genomics is the study of genomes and genes based on DNA sequencing. |
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| Genome is the total gene complement of a haploid set of chromosomes and inherited as a unit from one parent. |
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| A genome has a specific organisation and it can be artificially modified by introducing foreign genes. |
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| It is a comprehensive international effort started in 1990 by molecular biologists to map the entire human genome by determining the complete nucleotide sequence of DNA of each chromosome. |
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| a. To develop ways to map the human genome. |
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| b. To develop tools for data analysis of the information. |
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| c. To address ethical, legal and social issues that may arise. |
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| Some startling facts have been revealed by the human genome project. |
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| a. We were expected to have more than 100,000 genes, but the count is much lower than expected, being about 30,000 to 40,000 genes. |
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| b. We are 99.9% identical with each other at the DNA level. |
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| c. Most of our genetic differences are shared among all ethnic groups and races spread over various geographic regions. |
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| d. Different human genes vary widely in the length after over thousands of base pairs. |
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| e. Only less than 2% of the genome is known to include the exons, the protein coding sequences. |
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| f. Approximately 1 million copies of short 5-8 base pairs are repeated sequences clustered around the centromeres and near the ends of chromosomes representing junk DNA. |
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| The human genome sequencing holds promise for a healthier living. It will enhance the understanding of human genetics. It will provide information that will help prevent inherited diseases and lead to treatment of genetic disorders through gene therapy. |
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