Human genome project

1. Human genome Project…..
Introduction……
Human genome project (HGP) was an international scientific research project which
got successfully completed in the year 2003 by sequencing the entire human genome
of 3.3 billion base pairs. The HGP led to the growth of bioinformatics which is a vast
field of research. The successful sequencing of the human genome cou Human ld
solve the mystery of many disorders in humans and gave us a way to cope up with
them.

2. History..
The Human Genome Project (HGP), which operated from 1990 to 2003, provided
researchers with basic information about the sequences of the three billion chemical
base pairs (i.e., adenine [A], thymine [T], guanine [G], and cytosine [C]) that make up
human genomic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
Goals of the human genome project
the human genome project include:
 Optimization of the data analysis.
 Sequencing the entire genome.
 Identification of the complete human genome.
 Creating genome sequence databases to store the data.
 Taking care of the legal, ethical and social issues that the project may pose.
Methods of the human genome project
In this project, two different and significant methods are typically used.
1. Expressed sequence tags wherein the genes were differentiated into the ones
forming a part of the genome and the others which expressed RNAs.
2. Sequence Annotation wherein the entire genome was first sequenced and the
functional tags were assigned later.

3. The process of the human genome project
 The complete gene set was isolated from a cell.
 It was then split into small fragments.
 This DNA structure was then amplified with the help of a vector which mostly
was BAC (Bacterial artificial chromosomes) and YAC (Yeast artificial
chromosomes).
 The smaller fragments were then sequenced using DNA sequencers.
 On the basis of overlapping regions, the sequences were then arranged.
 All the information of this genome sequence was then stored in a computer-
based program.
 This way the entire genome was sequenced and stored as genome database in
computers. Genome mapping was the next goal which was achieved with the
help of microsatellites (repetitive DNA sequences).
Features
Features of the Human genome project include:
 Our entire genome is made up of 3164.7 million base pairs.

4.  On average, a gene is made up of 3000 nucleotides.
 The function of more than 50 percent of the genes is yet to be discovered.
 Proteins are coded by less than 2 percent of the genome.
 Most of the genome is made up of repetitive sequences which have no coding
purposes specifically but such redundant codes can help us better understand of
genetic development of humanity through the ages.
Applications of HGP
As the goals of the human genome project were achieved, it led to great advancement
in research. Today, if any disease arises due to some alteration in a certain gene, then
it could be traced and compared to the genome database that we already have. In this
way, a more rational step could be taken to deal with the problem and can be fixed
with more ease.
This project has opened up new horizons which can be learned in much detail with
our expert faculty.
Importance…
The project was hugely significant to biology and has influenced
biological research ever since.
The main tasks of the Human Genome Project were to read and record
the genetic instructions contained within the human genome and
provide that information to researchers worldwide freely and without
restriction.
Advantage…
1. One of the potential benefits is in the field of molecular medicine. The benefits
in this field could include better diagnosis of disease, early detection of certain
diseases, and gene therapy and control systems for drugs
2. Creating personalized plans to treat disease may be possible based not
only on the mutant genes causing a disease, but also other genes in
the patient’s genome.
3. Genotyping cancer cells and understanding what genes are
misregulated allows physicians to select the best chemotherapy and

5. potentially expose the patient to less toxic treatment since the therapy
is tailored.
4. Previously unknown genes may be identified as contributing to a
disease state. Traditional genetic testing looks only at the common
“troublemaker” genes.
5. Lifestyle or environmental changes that can mediate the effects of
genetic predisposition may be identified and then moderated.
6. Disadvantages…..
The role of most of the genes in the human genome is still unknown or
incompletely understood. Therefore, a lot of the “information” found in
a human genome sequence is unusable at present.
7. Most physicians are not trained in how to interpret genomic data.
8. An individual’s genome may contain information that they DON’T want
to know. For example, a patient has genome sequencing performed to
determine the most effective treatment plan for high cholesterol. In
the process, researchers discover an unrelated allele that assures a
terminal disease with no effective treatment.
9. The volume of information contained in a genome sequence is vast.
Policies and security measures to maintain the privacy and safety of
this information are still new.