The Rise of Genomics AP Biology Fall 2010

The Human Genome Project  With the invention of PCR and automated sequencing, scientists argued for the sequencing of the human genome in 1986  Beginning in 1988, NIH directed the public effort in many laboratories to sequence the human genome

The Human Genome Project  In the late 1990’s, Craig Venter launched his effort at genome sequencing using powerful automated sequencing machines  Sequencing was officially completed in 2003

The Human Genome Project  99% the coding of human DNA has been deciphered with accuracy Researchers found far fewer genes than they expected- just over 20,000

The Human Genome Project  The next step is to determine what the genes encode Fewer than 2% of our genome is protein- encoding genes And there are many inactivate pseudogenes

Genomics  The new field of genomics will be concerned with mapping and sequencing the genomes As well as elucidating the possible evolutionary relationships of groups of organisms

Genomics  Structural Genomics: deals with the actual mapping and sequencing of genomes of individuals

Genomics  Comparative Genomics: concerned with finding evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms

Genomics  Genomics has the potential for human gene therapy The transfer of modified genes into a person’s body cells to correct a genetic defect

DNA Chips  Microarrays or gene chips: can reveal a stunning amount of information about an individual’s DNA

DNA Chips  These small devices, holding thousands of known DNA sequences, are bathed with RNA transcripts from a suspect cell Binding and fluorescence reveal which genes are active/inactive  DNA chips are being used to compare different gene expression patterns between cells