Human Genome Project

Human Genome Project is an international scientific research project with the goal of determining the sequence of nucleotide base pairs that make up human DNA, and of identifying and mapping all of the genes of the human genome from both a physical and a functional standpoint. It remains the world's largest collaborative biological project.

History

The Human Genome Project originally aimed to map the nucleotides contained in a haploid reference human genome (more than three billion). The "genome" of any given individual is unique; mapping the "human genome" involves sequencing multiple variations of each gene.

Goals

The primary goal of the HGP was to produce a complete and accurate sequence of the 3 billion DNA base pairs that make up the human genome and to find all of the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 human genes. The project also aimed to sequence the genomes of several other organisms that are important to medical research, such as the mouse and the fruit fly.

Methods

Two main strategies were initially considered for sequencing the genome. The first approach was "map-first, sequence-later". The second approach was "sequence-first, map-later".

Results

The Human Genome Project was declared complete in April 2003. An initial rough draft of the human genome was available in June 2000 and by February 2001 a working draft had been completed and published followed by the final sequencing mapping of the human genome on April 14, 2003.

Implications

The implications of the Human Genome Project are enormous. It has the potential to revolutionize the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and the life sciences in general.

See also

• Genomics
• Genetic Engineering
• DNA Sequencing

References

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  Diagram of DNA replication
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  Plaque commemorating the Human Genome Project
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  Bookshelf at the Wellcome Genome Campus