Question

List the salient features of the human genome.

Answer 1

Hint: Human genome is defined as a complete set containing nucleic acid sequences that are encoded as DNA containing 23 chromosome pairs in cell nuclei and a small DNA molecule which is enclosed within an individual mitochondrion.

Complete Answer:
The salient features of the human genome are as follows –
- It helps in the determination of the sequence and the counts of all the base pairs contained within the human genome.
- It helps in the identification process of all the genes that are contained within the human genome.
- It helps in determining the functioning of all the genes.
- It helps in the identification of various genetic disorders.
- It helps in the determination of genetic proneness as well as immunity associated with various physical disorders.
- The information obtained is stored within a systematic database system.
- It helps in improving the tools available for a proper data analysis.

Additional information: Efforts are being routinely employed in harnessing the use of the human genome for entirely replacing the cancerous cells with the healthier versions of the same. Various projects are being conducted to study the human genome.
A few of the genome projects are,
1) Human genome project
2) 1000 genome project
3) 10000 genome project

Note:The genome is prone to mutations. The major three types of mutations found in genome are,
- Deletion - A base is deleted.
- Insertion - An additional base is added.
- Base substitution - A base is switched with another base.