BIO 1A03 T4M3-4: Applied Lecture - DNA replication and mitosis

genomics vs genome 

Genomics: scientific field that sequences, interprets, and compares whole genomes 

Genome: complete DNA sequence

discoveries from the human genome project

1. Genes for microRNA are more common than previously thought 

microRNA: short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally 

2. Many sequences are TUFs (transcripts of unknown function) bc of their role in the cell is unknown 

why do humans have so few genes

• Eukaryotic genomes of organisms ⇒ dont have that many genes (~21,000 – when scientists thought there would be 100,000  genes 
  

Alternative-splicing: hypothesis proposes that eukaryotes do not require large numbers of distinct genes 

⤷ able to create different proteins from the same genes 

⤷ reason why humans dont acc need that many genes 

chimpanzees and humans

• Chimpanzees and humans are 98.8% similar – just differences in how the protein-coding genes are regulated (may be responsible for the phenotypic differences seen) 

Dr tallulah Andrews

• McMaster alumni, worked at Sanger institute 

• Her research focuses on the analysis of single-cell RNA sequence data 

the human genome project revealed __ common sets of genes that are mutated in cancerous celled 

> 120 distinct mutations 

the complete genome sequence of a cancerous and non-cancerous cell from the same person identified __

over 600 mutations in the cancerous cell

genome canada

• Coordinated regional, national, and international genome projects in Canada and provide much of their funding 

• Since 2000, it has overseen 127 projects and >1.8 billion in grants with most projects studying health issues 

  • Eg. how genetic makeup affects the response to pharmaceutical drugs (where a drug may be beneficial for one person, but inconsequential for another person, and toxic to another person)