The human genome project notes
The Basics:
- Fred Sanger first developed a technique for DNA sequencing process in 1977.
- This process involved DNA being used as a template for DNA fragments.
- The Segments were separated using gel electrophoresis, and are different in size by only 1 base.
- Identifying this base at the end of each fragment allowed sequencing to take place.
- This allows us to work out the entire sequence of bases and identify the location of genes along the DNA
The Human Genome Project:
- The human genome project is an organisation that was set up in 1986, who’s aim is to sequence the genome for the entire human body.
- It was originally a partnership between the US and UK was predicted to take 20 years to fully sequence the human genome.
- In 1992, Japan and the rest of Europe joined the project and with sophisticated computerised techniques, the progress was more rapid.
- The human genome project did not only attempt to sequence human DNA but also the DNA of other organisms.
- In 1996, the bases sequence for yeast was published with the sequence for a nematode worm following 2 years later.
- In 1999, the first complete chromosome, chromosome 22, was successfully sequenced.
- There are over 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up the human DNA, and there are approximately 30-40,000 genes.
- 2 years later in 2001, the complete sequencing for a human genome was announced.
- There was a degree of error of 1 in 1000, but work continues to produce a more accurate sequence.
- Some sections have been sequenced 10 times to achieve a more accurate sequence
