Applications of DNA sequencing Flashcards
Bioinformatics definition
Development of software/computing tools (algorithms, mathematical models, statistical tests) to organise and analyse vast quantities of raw biological data
Computational biology
Using the data to build theoretical models of biological systems
Synthetic biology
‘an emerging area of research that can broadly be described as the design and construction of novel artificial biological pathways, organisms or devices, or the redesign of existing natural biological systems’
Analysing the human genome
-computers can analyse and compare the genomes of many individuals, revealing patterns in the DNA we inherit and the diseases to which we are vulnerable
-tailor treatment to individuals genome
-e.g breast cancer and BROCAS gene
Analysing the genomes of pathogens
-sequencing genomes of pathogens to:
-find out source of infection
-doctors to identify antibiotic-resistant
strains of bacteria, ensuring antibiotics are
only used when will be effective to help
prevent spread of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria
-scientists to track progress of outbreaks of
serious diseases/potential epidemics
-to identify regions in genome of pathogens
that may be useful targets in development
of new drugs and to identify genetic markers
for use in vaccines
Searching for evolutionary relationships
-DNA sequences of different organisms can be compared (basic mutation rate can be calculated) and so how long ago 2 species diverged
Genomics and proteomics
Synthetic biology techniques
-genetic engineering: a single change in biological pathway or relatively major genetic modification of an entire organism
-use of biological systems or parts of biological systems in industrial contexts: use of fixed or immobilised enzymes and production of drugs from microorganisms
-synthesis of new genes to replace faulty genes e.g cystic fibrosis
-synthesis of an entire new organism, 2010= created artificial genome
