The Human Genome and Karyotype Flashcards
The amount of DNA in one copy of the genome
Genome size (C-value)
How many base pairs of DNA do humans have in each somatic cell of our bodies?
3.2x10^9 bp
How many genes do humans have?
Approximately 22,000
During mitosis, DNA is packaged into chromosomes. What is the chromosomal make-up of humans?
22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes and 2 pairs of sex chromosomes
Contain distinct DNA (containing 37 known genes) not
associated with chromosomes. It is inherited solely from the mother in humans
Mitochondria
Chromatin condenses into chromosomes during
Prophase of mitosis (after replication)
After DNA is replicated, chromosomes form a pair of sister chromatids attached by the
Centromere
A higher order of DNA organization where DNA is condensed at least by 10,000 times onto itself
-condensed chromatin fibers
Chromosomes
Long and thin uncoiled structures found in the nucleus
Chromatin
Compact, thick, and ribbon-like. These are coiled structures seen prominently during cell division
Chromosomes
Chromosomes are paired, but chromatin is
Unpaired
Permissive to DNA replication, RNA synthesis and recombination events
Chromatin
Not permissive to DNA replication, RNA synthesis and recombination events
Chromosomes
Generally increases with an organisms complexity
Genome size
Wide variations exist between genome size and organism complexity; e.g., some single-celled protists have genomes much larger than that of humans. This is called the
C-value enigma
Does not correlate with genome size or complexity
Chromosome number (ploidy)
Increased genome complexity/size arises by what two basic mechanisms?
Duplication and Incorporation (from other species)
In humans, which is more abundant, RNA or DNA?
RNA
More complex and diverse in its function and may have preceded DNA in evolution
RNA
Has more chemical stability and thus provides evolutionary advantages
DNA
Mapped the genome in 80 different human cell types for transcripts and protein-encoding exons, chromatin modification and DNA methylation, DNAse hypersensitivity, and binding of transcription factors
Encyclopedia of DNA elements (ENCODE)
Identifies cis-regulatory regions where the binding of regulatory factors exposed DNA to cleavage while DNA in nucleosomes is protected
DNAse hypersensitivity
The ENCODE project concluded that chromatin exists in
7 major functional states
The ENCODE project concluded that what percentage of chromatin is transcribed into RNA?
60-75%
The ENCODE project concluded that non-coding transcripts, many predicted to have regulatory roles, are nearly as abundant as
Protein-encoding genes
The ENCODE project concluded that there are only 21,000 protein coding genes, but at least 70,000 promoters and how many enhancers?
400,000 enhancers
Concluded that At least 80% of the genome is likely to be “functional” implying thatʻnon-coding regionsʼ may be as, or more important than, protein-encoding regions (as determinants of health and disease)
ENCODE
Repetitive sequences are common in the human genome and consist of
- ) Tandem repeats
- ) Short repeats
- ) Retrotransposons
Repeats which are products of reverse transcription
Retrotransposons
Ancient tandem repeats have diverged in nucleotide sequence over time. However, recent repeats (segmental duplications) have a sequence identity of
> 90%
Create “hot spots” for recombination, increasing the chance of structural change in chromosomes and the frequency of some genetic conditions
Repeats
Substrates for recombination because they are similar or identical in nucleotide sequence
Repeats
If sequence identity exists in more than 2 places, then what can occur between these regions?
Recombination
Depending on the position and orientation of the repeats, recombination between repeats may cause
Inversion, duplication, or deletion
Caused by recombination between duplicated genes with almost identical sequence identity on the X-chromosome
Red-green color blindness
In red-green colorblindness, there is a misalignment in meiosis followed by
Recombination
Due to the presence of three different photoreceptors in the retina, each sensitive to different wavelengths
Color Vision
The long (red) and medium (green) wavelength photoreceptors are encoded by genes close together on the
-The two genes differ by only a few bp
X chromosome
Recombination during meiosis can delete one gene from the chromosome. Males who carry a deleted X have only one receptor and thus can not distinguish
Long and medium wavelength light
Recombination occurs between large repeats resulting in the deletion of a block of DNA that contains multiple genes
-Ex: DiGeorge (Velocardiofacial) Syndrome and Prader-Willi and Angleman syndromes
Contiguous gene (microdeletion or segmental autoploidy) syndromes
Characterized by the failure of the pharyngeal pouches to develop. Results in parathyroid, thymus, and cardiac defects
DiGeorge (Velocardiofacial) Syndrome
Tandem repeats of sequences of a few hundred base pairs long; hundreds to thousands of copies, mostly at centromeres and telomeres.
Satellite sequences
Repeats of a few nucleotides, such as (CA)n dinucleotides. Common, copy number n highly variable. Widely used to identify specific chromosomes in genetic counseling, because often each of the four parental copies will be different.
Micro-Satellites
Satellites are called satellites because when DNA is fractionated, there is a small peak next to the DNA peak because it differs in
Base composition
Estimated to account for up to 25% of the increased complexity of the human genome
Retrotransposons
What are the main types of retrotransposons?
- ) LINE
- ) SINE
- ) Pseudogenes
mRNA’s encoding reverse transcriptase
LINE (long interspersed nuclear elements)
Copies of a short cellular RNA
-Most abundant are Alu sequences
SINE (short interspersed nuclear elements)
The most abundant SINEs are Alu sequences, which are unique to human DNA and are named because they contain a restriction site for
Alul
Copies of cellular mRNAs
-not transcribed because they lack promoter sequences
Pseudogenes
Insertion of reverse-transcribed RNA into DNA can disrupt a gene at an
-An uncommon but well-known cause of genetic disease
Integration site
Analysis of the number and structure of chromosomes
Cytogenesis
About what percentage of people have an abnormality of chromosome number or structure?
1.5%