Advancing Evolution:Human Genome Project

From Activating Evolution

The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a project to decode (i.e. sequence) more than 3 billion nucleotides contained in a haploid reference human genome and to identify all the genes present in it. The reference human genome sequence was considered pragmatically 'complete' at 92% in 2005 in publications by an international public HGP and somewhat independently by a private company Celera Genomics. Recently, several groups have announced efforts to extend this to diploid human genomes including the International HapMap Project, Applied Biosystems, Perlegen, Illumina, JCVI, Personal Genome Project, and Roche-454. The "genome" of any given individual (except for identical twins and cloned animals) is unique; mapping "the human genome" involves sequencing multiple variations of each gene. The project did not study all of the DNA found in human cells; some heterochromatic areas (about 8% of the total) remain unsequenced.

1 Origin
2 What We've Learned So Far
3 What We've Learned About Mutations
4 References
5 External Links

[edit] Origin

Impetus to begin the Human Genome Project came largely from health professionals who believed that the knowledge gained through the project could dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of genetic illnesses and it'd be cool to study. For the past couple of decades, medical geneticists have been searching for various genes that cause major illnesses and have already identified some. In 1987, for example, a major breakthrough came when the gene causing cystic fibrosis was discovered. And more recently, researchers have found out hereditary diseases can be fought by mapping our DNA. For instance, a few months ago they discovered ways to improve the human heart condition, and protect us from coronary heart disease. Of course up until now, it's all in theory, but soon they will get there. Mapping the human genome is a long and tedious process, it is said that in order to take a count if every gene present, it would take hundreds of computers years upon years, and would still not achieve an exact number

James D. Watson was Head of the National Center for Human Genome Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States starting from 1988. Largely due to his disagreement with his boss, Bernadine Healy, over the issue of patenting genes, he was forced to resign in 1992. He was replaced by Francis Collins in April 1993, and the name of the Center was changed to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) in 1997.

[edit] What We've Learned So Far

The human genome contains 3164.7 million chemical nucleotide bases.

The average gene consists of 3000 bases.

The total number of genes is estimated at 30,000

Almost all (99.9%) nucleotide bases are exactly the same in all people. gleukos

The functions are unknown for over 50% of discovered genes.

Less than 2% of the genome codes for proteins.

Junk DNA make up over 90% of the human genome.

Chromosome 1 has the most genes. (2968)

Chromosome Y has the fewest (231).

Humans share most of the same protein families with: Worms, Flies, and Plants.

The human genome has a much greater portion (50%) of repeat sequences than the mustard weed (11%), the worm (7%), and the fly (3%).

[edit] What We've Learned About Mutations

Scientists have identified about 1.4 million locations where single-base DNA differences (SNPs) occur in humans. This revolutionizes the processes of finding chromosomal locations for disease-associated sequences and tracing human history.

[edit] References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project

COLLINS, FRANCIS S., and KARIN JEGALIAN. "Human Genome Project." Encyclopedia of Public Health. Ed. Lester Breslow. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 590-592. 4 vols.

Cooper, Necia Grant. The Human Genome Project: Deciphering the Blueprint of Heredity. Mill Valley, CA: University Science Books, 1994.