Knowledge is power

So you may be aware that the human genome was mapped in 2001, in a large scale research effort known as the human genome project, largely by the work of Dr. Craig Venter and Dr. Francis Collins of Celera Genomics and The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Human Genome Research Institute respectively. However, scientists at several centers including Tokyo Japan, the NIH in the US, The Korean Research Institute and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden to name a few have now deciphered the order of the every letter in the human genome, in addition 21,037 genes have been annotated. The genes are now in a database known as the H-Invitational Database that allows anyone access. The difference in this work published in PLoS Biology is that a detailed investigation into the contributions of both maternal and paternal DNA instead of the merging or composite of DNA completed in the human genome project gives a more detailed look into the sequence.

One of the interesting findings of the work is that there are more differences in the genetic code than once thought, the human genetic code that was thought to be 99.9% identical may be as low as 99% identical, this may not seem like a big difference but in terms of genes and gene function within human beings this could be very critical. The prospect of being able to determine more definitively human disease and its prevention with a more accurate sequencing of the human genome is a big step forward. Investigators envision that a personalized sequence of a patient’s DNA will be possible. Allowing to tailor treatment options more effectively.