The Human Genome Project, or HGP, was the first large-scale international scientific research program. The goal of the project was to fully determine and complete the nucleotide sequence that makes up the human genome and be able to map these genes. “In addition to DNA sequencing, the Human Genome Project sought to develop new tools for obtaining and analyzing data and to make this information widely available.” The goals of the HGP were articulated in 1988, and the program was later adopted by the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. In 1990 the initial stages began and were published with a target date of fifteen years. "The full sequence was completed and released in April 2003." “The human genome consists of only about 20,000 protein-coding genes, with protein-coding sequences corresponding to only about 1% of human DNA.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay “Enormous advances have been made in DNA sequencing technology, and new sequencing methodologies enable the rapid and economical sequencing of single genomes or transcribed RNAs” ”. The Human Genome Project has been able to identify the location, structure and organization of many human genes. The project also compared and studied the sequence of genomes in many other organisms. “By studying the similarities and differences between human genes and those of other organisms, researchers can discover the functions of particular genes and identify which genes are critical for life.” Because of the similarities between homologous genes, the identification of sequences or functions can be used as a model for other organisms. “Over 40% of predicted human proteins are related to proteins in the simplest sequenced eukaryotes, including yeast, Drosophila, and C. elegans.” “Every part of the genome sequenced by the Human Genome Project was made public immediately, and new information about the genome is entered into freely accessible databases or published in scientific journals almost every day.” In 2013 the Supreme Court ruled that human genes occur in nature and are therefore not invented and cannot be patented. The discovery of the human genome sequence has shed light on the fact that the number of protein-coding genes within an organism does not correlate with the complexity of that organism. Genomics is the branch of molecular biology that studies not only the entire gene, but their interrelationships with each other and their relationship with the environment. The goal is to find ways to improve health and fight disease. “Genomics includes the scientific study of complex diseases such as heart disease, asthma, diabetes and cancer because these diseases are typically caused more by a combination of genetic and environmental factors than by individual genes.” One method to improve a person's health is to create an activity and diet plan for the person. By simply changing the way they eat and increasing physical activity, they may be able to offset or delay an illness the person may be predisposed to. “Genomics offers new possibilities for therapies and treatments for some complex diseases, as well as new diagnostic methods.” Genomics helps discover why one person may get sick and another not when exposed to the same environment and risks. Discoveries made by genomics could help in diagnosis, treatment and perhaps even prevention. Genomics is trying to determine how genes and the elements that regulate them work. Variations in DNA sequences can help assess one's susceptibilityperson to an illness and the response they would have to medications. Genomics may be able to “develop and apply genome-based strategies for the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease.” Advances in technology allow for “accurate diagnosis of existing diseases and the development of effective and targeted treatment strategies.” Genomic information can change the way drugs are tested. “New research into the molecular pathways underlying health and disease will continue to inform rational drug development and design.” Genomic data could provide enough information to create new therapeutic drug applications and select more suitable individuals for clinical trials. “Genomic medicine has the potential to make the genetic diagnosis of disease a more efficient and cost-effective process by reducing genetic testing to a single analysis, which then informs individuals throughout their lives.” To understand which proteins may be encoded by a cell's genome, it is important to understand which proteins are expressed and how they function within a cell. Large-scale analysis of cellular proteins, or proteomics, aims to identify and quantify all proteins expressed in a given cell, the proteome, as well as to establish the localization of these proteins in different subcellular organelles and to elucidate the networks of interactions between proteins that govern cellular activities." By characterizing the proteins expressed in the cell, it can provide information about function and organization. When different cells are exposed to different stimuli, we can attempt to understand their cellular adaptation to environmental signals and the difference between individuals of a species. “The goal of proteomics is not only to identify all the proteins in a cell but also to create a complete three-dimensional (3-D) map of the cell that indicates where the proteins are located.” Proteins are responsible for phenotypes and therefore genes cannot provide all the information about cells. “It is impossible to elucidate the mechanisms of disease, aging and environmental effects solely by studying the genome. Only through the study of proteins is it possible to characterize protein modifications and identify drug targets." Integrating datasets also used in genomics, such as microarray-based expression, “will produce a comprehensive database of genetic functions that will serve as a powerful reference on protein properties and functions.” These databases will also provide researchers with tools to build and test their hypotheses. New drugs for the treatment of diseases represent a possibility arising from the study of human genes and proteins. To identify proteins associated with a given disease, information from the genome and proteomes is needed. Computer software can provide a three-dimensional structure that provides information on how to design drugs to interfere with proteins. Inactivating enzymes within proteins inactivates proteins involved in disease because when mutations occur in DNA it is the proteins that are affected. This can lead to the development of drugs specific to a particular person and their specific disease. Large-scale proteomics is used “to gain a global and integrated view of disease processes, cellular processes and networks at the protein level.” The focus of systems biology is on the molecular and cellular level trying to quantify processes. “Traditional biological experiments study single molecules and pathways. Systems biology uses global experimental data for.
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