Genomics and Gene Therapy Flashcards
How many coding genes does the human genome have?
about 20,000
What percent of the human genome codes for functional proteins?
less than 2%
Functional Genomics
the study of how our genes are controlled and how they work together to form an organism
What does functional genomics do?
- identify non-coding vs coding areas
- determine which genes do what
- determine which non-coding areas play a role in the production of small RNAs and the regulation of genes
Comparative Genomics
the study of how genes of different related organisms differ from each other, and how these differences evolved
Proteomics
the study of the structure, function, and interaction of cellular proteins
A single gene can code for …
several hundred proteins
Proteome
all of the proteins that the human genome codes for
What is proteomoics essential for?
understanding the causes and treatments for many diseases
Bioinformatics
the application of computer technology to the study of the genome
What does bioinformatics do?
- create databases of information regarding genes and proteins
- use computer algorithms to identify patterns in the data to identify cause-and-effect relationships between specific genetic profiles and genetic disorders caused by multifactorial genes
Gene Therapy
the insertion of genetic material into human cells for the treatment of a disorder
What has gene therapy successfully treated?
- cardiovascular disease
- genetic errors that regulate metabolism
- some cancers
- one form of inherited blindness
Ex Vivo Gene Therapy
the removal, genetic alteration, and reinsertion of stem cells from a patient
What does Ex Vivo Gene Therapy successfully treat?
- Hemophilia A
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s
- Crohn’s
- some cancers
