Cracking the Code of LifeBy: Grace Trainor

What is the Human Genome Project?

Decoding the Human Genome—meaning interpreting the genetic code

The DNA Sequencing is used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, T) in a DNA Molecule

Goals of the Project: To discover what the instruction code is telling scientists and to understand the differences in DNA and where/what certain alleles are located on the chromosomes

Knowing the code tells us…(1) What genes will be passed down, (2) How the DNA works and what it carries

http://goo.gl/nK4gMt

Now, Locate the Genome

Contributions that the Human Genome could make…

A lot of genetic disorders occur due to a single base change (displacement of one single letter—A, T, C, G—can lead to many deficiencies and a change in the genome)

With the Human Genome, scientists would be able to find out what exactly is going wrong with the sequence of DNA, genes, and proteins

The information would also tells us what people are at risk for certain diseases, early on (such as TaySach’s and Cystic Fibrosis)

Timeline of the Human Genome Project

http://goo.gl/AVfZVZ

Who is helping with the Human Genome Project?

CRAIG VENTER

Scientist and Entrepreneur—FIRST to sequence the Human Genome

Created company CELERA: holds machines that decodes genome at an incredibly fast pace (take ONLY 2 YEARS to complete)

Company created competition between private

and public companies—race to see

who can decode the genome first

Private: Receive $$ from investors and information

may by private

Public: Receive $$ from government and free

information to everyone

http://goo.gl/lCJMwx

Don’t Forget!

Not only is studying the genes and genomes important, but also PROTEOMES

What is Proteome, you may ask?

The collection of Proteins

Why is Proteome important, you may ask?

Genes make up ALL proteins AND proteins do all the work in the cell

Studying the Genes—must understand Proteins (vice versa) to discover functions in the body

Fun Facts: Did you know…

50% of the genes in bananas are in HUMANS!

ALL HUMANS share 99.9% of their DNA

98% of our DNA has a largely unknown function (based on the 2001 documentary), however Scientists now challenge this belief by stating that 80% of our genes ARE active

Read this article from Times Magazine for more information: http://healthland.time.com/2012/09/06/junk-dna-not-so-useless-after-all/

And YOU can watch this AMAZING documentary RIGHT NOW!

http://video.pbs.org/video/1841308959/

For even more information, Visit…http://www.genome.gov/10001772