Ethics, Business, and the Human Genome Project :: Genetics DNA Genes Science Essays

Ethics, Business, and the Human Genome ProjectThe Human Genome Project began in 1990, as fond function of a collaborative movement by the scientific community to better understand our own genetic makeup. The U.S Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health mastermind this original 15-year plan, which are parts of the National Human Genome Research Institute. The major goals cited by these institutes is as followsIdentify all the estimated 100,000 genes in the homosexual genome. Map the terce billion chemical bases that make up human DNA. Store this mapped information in databases worldwide. Develop even better tools for sequencing and analysis. Address the many ethical, legal and social issues that come with this project. The debate over the importance of a Human Genome Project can be cleared up by looking at what the human genome actually is, and why knowing its DNA sequence can be beneficial to the scientific and the human community. The human genome is made up o f about trinity billion base pairs, which contain about 100,000 genes. The 100,000 genes in the 46 human chromosomes only account for a small total of the DNA in our genome. nigh 10 percent of our DNA make up these genes in our genome, these genes are what is actually encoded for and used by our body to make vital proteins needed for everyday life. The remaining 90 percent of our three billion base pairs are recurrent sequences between genes that do non encode for any particular product. These perennial sequences account for the reason why 99 percent of any humans DNA is identical to another humans (1). With this knowledge many people believe it is not worth the time or money to sequence the entire human genome when only a small percent is used to encode for proteins. However, by sequencing the intact genome researchers will no longer have to do a needle in the haystack type of search for small genes, like the one put up on chromosome four that is responsible for Huntingtons disease (4). Also, knowing the complete human DNA sequence will allow scientists to determine the role and importance of the repeated DNA, non-protein encoding, sequences in our body.The Human Genome Project has brought to light the importance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which occur every 100 to 300 bases (1). A single nucleotide wavering in the DNA sequence can have a major impact on how humans react to bacteria, viruses and drug therapy.