Topic 8 - Using Genome Projects Flashcards
What are genome sequencing projects?
They determine the entire entire DNA sequence of an organism. This includes reading the genetic code for both coding and non-coding regions.
How can the genome project be applied to medical application?
- Identification of potential antigens for vaccine development.
- Detection of mutations linked to diseases.
- Creation of personalised medicine tailored to an individuals genome.
How can evolutionary studies be applied to the genome project?
Comparison of genomes across species to determine evolutionary relationships.
How can synthetic biology be applied to the genome projects?
Prediction of amino acid sequences in proteins enabling the design of synthetic molecules or biological systems.
How can genetic screening be applied to genome projects?
- Screening for mutated sequences genetic carriers and disorders such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anaemia.
- pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in embryos during IVF treatment.
What is the human genome project?
The human genome project was an international scientific endeavour to sequence the entire human genome.
What was achieved in the human genome project?
- Successfully determined the sequence of human DNA.
- Provided insight into genetic diseases and potential therapies.
What are the potential uses of the human genome project?
- early detection of genetic diseases before symptoms appear
- Development of targeted treatments based on a persons genetic make up
What are the potential ethical issues related with the human genome project (HGP)?
- risk of genetic discrimination in employment or insurance.
- concerns over ownership and misuse of genetic information
- Questions about whether genetic testing could lead to eugenics.
What are the four benefits of genome sequencing?
- Personalised medicine: allows treatment to be tailored to an individuals genetic profiles improving effectiveness.
- Antigen discovery: aids in vaccine production, especially against rapidly evolving pathogens.
- Understanding proteomes: helped identify proteins crucial for biological processes or linked to disease.
- Research advancements: facilitates studies of genes responsible for specific traits or diseases.
What are protein sequences?
Refer to the specific order of amino acids in a polypeptide chain, determined by the sequence of bases in DNA.
How can reading the genome provide information of protein sequences?
- By sequencing the DNA of an organism scientist can identify the genes that code for proteins.
- the sequence of bases a gene is transcribed into mRNA and then translated into a sequence of amino acids.
How can determining the proteome determine protein sequences?
- in simpler organisms identifying the proteome straightforward as most of the genome is coding DNA.
- in complex organisms like humans non-coding DNA and regulatory sequences complicate this process.
How can predicting amino acid sequences be useful to determine protein sequences?
- Advances in bioinformatics enable the identification of coding sequences in the genome.
- Once the coding sequence is known the genetic code is used to predict the sequence of amino acids in the protein.
What are the three challenges in complex organisms in determining protein sequences?
- Non-coding DNA: much of the human genome consist of introns regulatory regions or repetitive sequences that do not code for proteins.
- Alternative: single gene camp produce multiple proteins due to the process of alternative splicing where exons are rearranged during mRNA processing.
- Translational modifications: proteins can undergo changes after synthesis which cannot be predicted from the DNA sequence alone.
What is non-coding DNA?
- Refers to regions of the DNA that do not code for proteins.
- Instead of being transcribed into mRNA for protein production non-coding DNA plays roles in regulating gene expression.
What is the regulatory role of non-coding DNA?
- non-coding DNA contains promotes enhances and silences that control when and how genes are transcribed.
- These regions influence which genes are switched on or off in different cell types or under different conditions.
What is the relationship between non-coding DNA and RNA?
- Some non-coding regions are transcribed into functional RNA molecules such as tRNA rRNA and micro RNA, which regulate gene expression or assist in protein synthesis
What is the relationship between non-coding DNA and structural DNA?
Non-coding regions contribute to the structure of chromosomes such as telomeres and centromeres.
What are regulatory genes?
The code for proteins such as transcriptional factors which control the activity of other genes by binding to DNA. These genes determine whether a specific gene is transcribed into mRNA affecting protein production.
