Using genome projects

Question 1

Genome

Answer 1

The complete set of genes in a cell

Question 2

DNA sequencing

Answer 2

Sequencing projects have read the genomes of a range of organisms e.g. The Human Genome Project

Sequencing methods are continuously updated and have become automated

In the past, it was labour-intensive, expensive and could only be done on a small scale

Now, it is automated, cost-effective and done on a large scale e.g. pyrosequencing sequences around 400000000 bases in a ten hour period

Question 3

Sequencing the genome of simple organisms

Answer 3

Determining the genome of simpler organisms allows the assignment of proteins to each gene in the genome (proteome), creating a database

It is easy to determine their proteome as there is less non-coding DNA

Identifying the protein antigens on the surface of viruses/pathogenic bacteria can help in the development of vaccines

Question 4

Sequencing the genome of complex organisms

Answer 4

Knowledge of the genome cannot easily be translated into the proteome, due to the presence of non-coding DNA and regulatory genes

Regulatory genes determine when the genes that code for particular proteins should be switched on and off

Human Genome Project – determined the sequence of bases of a human genome