Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project (HGP) began in 1990 as a joint project between the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Health. This $3 billion dollar effort was designed to run for 15 years. The goal is to find the 80,000 to 100,000 human genes and determine the DNA sequences of the building blocks that are common to all living life (see figure below). This task will not be easy because we have approximately 3 billion base pairs in our DNA code. In addition to collecting data on humans, DNA data are also being collected on other model organisms including a bacterium (Escherichia coli), yeast (Saccharomyces cervisiae), roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans), fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), and the laboratory mouse. The ultimate goal of the HGP is to understand the proteins that are coded by DNA.

• Why do you think the HGP is studying these other non-human organisms?

It is estimated that 99.9% of all DNA sequences are the same among all humans. What is interesting to scientists is the 0.1% of the DNA sequences that are different. It is these sequences that impact our ability to respond to diseases, pathogens, toxins, pharmaceuticals, etc.

• Can you list at least three reasons why a small difference in a DNA sequence can impact our ability to respond to diseases, pathogens, toxins, pharmaceuticals, etc.?

It has been said that the implications of genome research will address national needs in medicine, biotechnology, environmental pollution control, sources of energy, and human risk assessment.

• Why do you think that genome research is important for advancing medicine?
• Why do you think that genome research is important for environmental pollution control?
• Why do you think that genome research is important for sources of energy?
• Do you think genome research will increase human longevity?
• How can the HGP be used to understand the history of human populations?
• What do you think are some of the ethical and legal issues of the Human Genome Project?
• What analytical methods are involved in the genome projects?