GEE Tiedge L.4

Evolution of genomes and DNA technology

Give the four main types of DNA in the human genome and the percentage in which they makeup its totality

• introns, 20%

• Repetitive DNA that is not related to transposable elements, 14%

• unique noncoding DNA, 15%

• Repetitive DNA that includes transposable elements, 44%

define genomics

The study of whole sets of genes and their interactions

Define bioinformatics

The application of computational methods to the storage and analysis of biological data

explain the whole/genome shotgun approach in four steps

1. DNA is cut into overlapping fragments that are short enough for sequencing

2. The fragments are cloned in a plasmid or other vectors

3. The fragments are sequenced

4. The sequences are ordered into one overall sequence (which is possible thanks to the fragments having overlapping pieces) with the help of computer programs

Explain how longer reads nowadays have improved sequencing

Being able to have longer reads of DNA leads to having less fragments in total (since they’re longer) and these fragments will also have more overlap with one another, making it easier to piece them together

what makes Next Generation Sequencing more efficient than the Sanger method?

The Sanger method can only sequence a single DNA fragment at the time while next generation sequencing/NGS can sequence lots of sequences (millions) simultaneously in one run.

Define metagenomics

Studying the complete set of genomes in a sample (e.g. all genomes in a soil sample)

What are introns

What is the genome size of e.coli and how many protein coding genes does it have

4.6 million base pairs, 4000

What is the genome size of humans and how many protein coding genes does it have

3200 million base pairs, 20 000

name an advantage and a disadvantage to having a large/the largest genome (in the world).

• Having a great flexibility to changes of/in the environment

• It takes long to duplicate the genome, leading to being a slow grower

Fill in the blank: transposable elements makeup up …-…% of the mammilian genome

25, 50

Name and characterize the two type of transposable elements in eukaryotes.

• Transposons move by means of a DNA intermediate and they require a transposase enzyme. cut and paste

• Retrotransposons move by means of an RNA intermediate using reverse transcriptase. copy and paste

Does the image show a transposon or retrotransposon being moved?

transposon

Does the image show a transposon or retrotransposon being moved?

retrotransposon

What’s the average gene size for bacteria?

between 1-6 Mb (Mega base)

What’s the average gene size for eukarya?

between 10-4,000 Mb

What’s the average amount of genes in bacteria?

between 1,500-1,700

What’s the average amount of genes in eukarya?

between 5,000-45,000