The Human Genome Project was an international effort to map the entire human genome, for the purpose of scientific and medical advancement. Although the project was spearheaded by US government agencies, scientists from an additional 18 countries contributed skills and data. The result of the Human Genome Project was a publication of a more or less complete copy of the human genome, which is available to members of the public for free on a number of websites that allow people to navigate the genome in various ways. .
The genome of an organism consists of all the genetic material, including the coding for specific genes. The main interest of the researchers was to locate particular genes on chromosomes and to explore common genetic variations. However, they were also interested in the genome as a whole, not just genes, as there is a huge amount of material to analyze. So-called "junk DNA" may not seem to be doing anything functional, but it could be important nonetheless.
Researchers began exploring the idea of mapping the human genome in the 1980s, and the project was officially launched in 1990. It took 13 years to get a published copy of the human genome, and this copy sequenced around 92% of the genome. human. , ignoring certain areas that were highly repetitive and difficult to sequence. The Human Genome Project contributed immensely to the sciences and also allowed people to start exploring genetic abnormalities and their causes.
Every human being has a slightly different genome. Samples from four individuals were used in the Human Genome Project to create a usable composite that would provide insight into genetic variations, and additional samples are constantly being sequenced. In addition to providing information about the location of particular genes, sequencing also allows researchers to explore the history of human evolution and to look at the details of unique ethnic groups.
Although the Human Genome Project has officially ended because its goals have been achieved, researchers are constantly refining the knowledge gained in this scientific endeavor, as well as using the published human genome in a variety of works. The project has also raised a number of interesting ethical questions, as well as explorations of legal and social issues, as the sequencing of the human genome opens the door to a number of situations, ranging from the potential for genetic profiling to misuse of the science. data to support particular political or social positions.