Human Molecular Genetics Flashcards
Why was the human genome sequenced?
To identify all human genes
Analyse genetic variation
How many different donors is the Human Reference genome made up of?
20
Describe the structure of mitochondrial DNA
Single, circular structure.
16,569 base pairs
All from mother
37 genes
Describe the structure of structure of nuclear DNA?
22 Autosomes, X and Y
6 billion base pairs
Half from each parent
About 20,000 genes
What were the findings of the human genome?
Less than 2% of our genome codes for proteins
Genomes are still evolving
There are no uniquely ‘human’ genes
How percentage of genes are intron?
20%
What is an SNP?
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms which are sites in DNA that vary within populations
How common are SNPs?
1 in every 300 nucleotides
Where are SNPs mainly from?
Your parents
Are SNPs harmful?
Not often
What can SNPs tell us?
Who we are related to.
Ancestors
Response to drugs
True or false, a linked SNP is less likely to be inherited?
False
What are STRs?
Short tandem repeats, repeats of 2-5 nucleotides, found in specific regions of the genome
What are InDels?
Small insertions or deletions, second most common variant type in the human genome
What does it mean for a person to be 3,8 at STR 1?
They have inherited 8 repeats of CAG from their mother and 3 from their father
What are the structural variants in the human genome?
CNVs
What is a CNV?
Copy number variation are chunks of DNA that are present in different amounts relative to the reference genome.
How many CNVs do humans have?
10,000
How do you compare sequences?
By aligning them, lining them up and marking the points where the sequences are the same
Why can we not accurate sequence DNA as it degrades?
DNA changes its sequence as it degrades
What are CNV genes commonly associated with?
Sensory perception and immunity
What can we achieve from comparing genomes within a species?
Differences may show disease or characteristics of an individual
What did we discover from sequencing Neanderthal nucleotides?
Modern humans in Europe and Asia carried Neanderthal DNA.
Our DNA holds variants that arose in Neanderthals
How much of the non-African genome is Neanderthal DNA?
2-4%
Are mutations inherited or aquired?
Both
What is a mutation?
Permanent changes to the DNA sequence
What are germline mutations?
Mutations that are passed on via the gametes
What are somatic mutations?
Mutations in somatic cells, they are not passed to the next generation
What kind of mutation is cancer caused by?
Somatic
What is the driving force of evolution?
Mutations