The Human Genome Project has a lot of goals. Firstly its main goal is to identify all the 100,000 genes in human DNA. Secondly to determine the sequence of three billion chemical base pairs that make up the human genome, all this information has to be stored in a database. Tools for data analysis have to be developed. Related technologies have to be transferred to the private sector. Due to the ethical, legal, and social issues, which may arise from the project, it has to be addressed. An important feature of this project is the federal government’s long-standing dedication to transfer the technology to private sector by licensing them, awarding grants for innovative research and earning multi-billion U. S dollars that could later be used for medical researchers. To help achieve these goals, researchers also are studying the genetic makeup of several nonhuman organisms. These include the common human gut bacterium Escherichia coli, the fruit fly, and the laboratory mouse.
The process for the sequencing of the Human Genome is long and complicated. At first a collection of blood and sperm samples from anonymous donors which are then combined into a mixture. The mixture is subjected for DNA extraction using chloroform, phenol and water. Pure DNA is dissolved in water. It is subjected to an enzyme, restriction that cuts the DNA fragments. The short DNA fragments are treated with alkali to make sticky ends. The sticky end DNA fragments are subject to fluorescent probes, having separate colours for a single base. The labeled DNA fragments are fed into an automatic sequencing machine that reads the base sequence according to the colours of the bases. A computer then uses this piece of information to read the sequence into a continuous DNA sequence by finding overlaps and matching the adjacent pieces.
There are many advantages to the Human Genome Project. The Human Genome Project focuses on identifying individual variations in the Human Genome and thereby forming genomic or molecular medicine using DNA chips. It studies the gene expression and control, thus creation of mutation can be identified. It can also be advantageous as it studies comparative genomic that compares the structural, functional, metabolic, physiological, and evolutionary differences between the living organisms. The Human Genome Project is used for forensic science; that is during trials for murders, parentage dispute. Besides providing clues to understanding human biology, learning about nonhuman organisms' DNA sequences can lead to an understanding of their natural capabilities that can be applied toward solving challenges in health care, energy sources, agriculture, and environmental cleanup.
Even though there are many advantages of the Human Genome Project there are some issues which have been raised against the project the ethical, legal, social and medical issues thus The Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health Genome Programs set aside 3%-5% of their respective annual budgets for the study of the project's ethical, legal, social and medical issues.
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